Coco and I try to squeeze in an RPM lesson every day.  RPM is the teaching method that led Coco to communication.  RPM (rapid prompting method) involves teaching students age appropriate content and keeping their attention through a variety of strategies.  Students start by answering choice questions and eventually work on spelling their answers on stencils or letter boards and eventually work up to responding to open ended answers.  We have achieved this goal, but the skill-building never stops.  It’s the most effective method for learning for Coco and we are always trying to build up her spelling stamina.  We hope that someday she will be able to type independently and then she will be allowed to communicate at school.  We think RPM will help us get there.

Our material this week for our home lessons is about great classical composers of different time periods.  The book we are using comes with a companion CD that has samples from each composer.  Coco asks us constantly to play the CD for her.  In particular, she keeps coming back to “Claire de Lune” by Claude Debussy.  If you’re unfamiliar or would like a reminder of this piece…

She asked me on her letter board what the track number of this piece was – so she could look for it and know when it’s coming.  I asked her what she liked so much and she said,

THE HIGH NOTES ANSWER ALL LIFES QUESTIONS AND THE LOW NOTES MASSAGE MY BRAIN

Sometimes I wish I could experience the world through her senses.  I asked her today if she’d like to tell me more about this piece and how it speaks to her.  Here’s what she said…

ALONE AT NIGHT

OUT MY WINDOW

THE MOON SINGS ME TO SLEEP

MY NEAREST FRIEND

YEARS AGO I MADE A PACT WITH HER

I SEND HER ALL MY TROUBLES AND SHE TAKES A PIECE OF MY HEART IN RETURN

DEBUSSY WROTE HER A LOVE SONG

IT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE MY FRIENDS VOICE

THIS IS MY FRIEND THE MOON

SPEAKING TO ME

I asked her what she would say to Claude Debussy if he were alive and she could speak to him…

I’ll never hear this piece the same way again.  Thank you sweet girl.