Senior PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ April 24/ Client C

Ian offered to play the guitar for the Client, but Caden does not like the guitar. Ian and I played the drums, but the client did not want to. He only tried to sleep on the drums. Then, the client started to lay on the ground and Ian said he would play the guitar if he doesn't get up. As a result, the client reacted to him by covering his ears on the floor. Ian lifted him up and they both went to the piano but the client preceded to lay his head on the piano. He was being especially difficult today, so I went out to look for his mom because the client did not want to play. I couldn't find her. Ian gave him a time out at the corner while Ian and I tried making music to persuade him participate. He came over but he told Ian, "no guitar," and tried to stop him from playing. We put the client back on the corner and Ian went to the piano to play. He switched the sound of the keyboard from piano to organ and the client became intrigued. Ian asked, "piano now?" 10 minutes before the session is over, the client started practicing. After one song, he stopped playing and we just sat there and waited for the mom to arrive because he did not want to participate.

Time: 3 hours

Total: 32 hours

Client D did not show up today

Senior PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ April 17/ Client C

All three of us played the drums, the client did not want Ian to play the guitar because he doesn't like the guitar. The client also did not want to play the piano until 15 minutes into the sessions. He played all his music piece very well learning pieces with his hands at different positions on the piano. At one point, he started counting/yelling numbers one through ten on his own, clearly and loudly. On the drums we played "Three Little Birds" and "Funga A La Fia." He likes to jump out of his seat and clap, so Ian and I had to help him take deep breaths to calm him down.

Senior PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ March 27/Client C

Today, all 3 of us sat in a circle in the center of the room, and we had the 2 congo drums in between us. Ian and the client played the drums for 10 minutes. I hesitated to interact because Client C is always unpredictable and he moves a lot. Ian always has to try to calm him down and place the client's hands on top of the drums to stop his arms from flailing around.

After playing one piano piece, the client got up and away from the piano for a few minutes and walked back to the piano bench. Ian taught him the tempo of the music piece. All in all, the client seemed more concentrated but he was still difficult. He likes to laugh loudly and yell. The client would lean on the keys of the piano with his arms and not play.

time spent: 3 hours

Total: 18 hours

SENIOR PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ March 13/Client C

Caden was fooling around for 15 minutes. It took him the half end of the session to concentrate. He did well when he was playing. Whenever Client C finishes a piano piece, he is rewarded with a sticker. When Ian asked about the stickers he wanted, he was given the choices between a big and small sticker. Client C is one of the more difficult client. Ian constantly has to keep him in one position to play the piano. Client C requires little of my interaction.

Time Spent: 3 Hours

Total: 15 hours

Senior PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ March 6/Client C

Today's session was similar to the previous session.

-all three of us played the drums. He likes playing the drums a lot

-Client C kept on biting his nails jumping up and down

-he refused to interact much

-he was lying and hugging the piano bench, unwilling to play

Out of all the students, this one seems to be the most difficult. He has severe autism, but he is very capable of playing the piano. He only listens when his mom is present in the room, and he cooperates easily. I don’t really play music with him as much, because his session composes of piano lessons instead of just “jamming.” However, I occasionally play the drums with him if Ian allows.

March 6: 3 Hours

Total: 12 Hours

SENIOR PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ Feb. 27/Client C

Today Ian had Caden, himself, and I play the congo drums together. All three of us sat in front of each other in a tripod and we shared two drums. Ian and I would create beats, encouraging Caden to his the drums as well. Although Caden did play with the drums a bit, he was still preoccupied with his nails. Ian had to remind Caden about "quiet hands" Caden didn't want to play the piano that much. Ian asked him if Caden wanted him to get the mom. Caden would lay his head on the piano, and he would also lay on half of the piano bench, hugging it.

time: 3 hours

Total: 9 hours

SENIOR PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ Feb. 20/Client C

After Theo, Caden arrives. He plays some simple tunes, and screamed more that the last session. What I noticed is that Ian tries to teach Caden how to read. They read the instructions of the piano piece they are about to play. Ian would read a couple of words first while pointing at the words, and Caden would repeat with a slight mispronunciation that is more clear than Theo. Ian comments today to Caden's mother when she came to pick him up after the session was over that Caden usually doesn't allow Ian to play Blues tunes, but today Ian got to play some Blues for awhile for Caden.

Time: 3 hours

Total: 6 hours

SENIOR PROJECT VOLUNTEER/ Feb. 13/Client C

For purpose of client's confidentiality, client C's name will be changed to Caden. Ian introduces me to Caden and his mom who also leaves Caden alone with Ian and I. Caden just does whatever when introduced.

With Caden, who also has a form of autism, Ian tries to teach him piano. From what I have observed, Caden can play simple scales. He has three types of learning books, all in the level of 1A. While being taught how to play, Caden is always preoccupied with his fingers. He always looks at it and bites his index finger. He constantly yells, loudly and is too distracted by his index to learn how to play the piano. Ian repeatedly tells Caden to use his "quiet hands" by saying "quiet hands" and wiggling his fingers in the air or placing his hands on top of Caden's on top of the piano to prevent the finger fiddling. In the end of the lesson, Caden was assigned some pages in his learning book to study at home.

Time: 3 hours

Total: 3 hours