Just wondering if his parent(s) would have any ideas about how best to communicate - perhaps this is something that comes up in day to day life at home too?  Or maybe you've already tried asking.

TL

I have some limited experience in working with kids with Aspergers. What's worked well for the couple of kids that I've known and myself is to reinforce the positive things they've done. When your kid beats himself up for his mistakes, try acknowledging his feelings and pointing out what he is doing really well. "Jonny I can see that you feel bad for missing that note. I can tell that you've really been working hard and practicing this piece. Remember all the mistakes you made last week - what an improvement you've made!" You could also practice some calming exercises with him (deep breathing for example) while he's feeling calm that he can use when he feels upset. He may be doing something like this at school - ask his parents and ask him what he does to calm himself down when he gets upset in other situations.

I hope this helps a little!

Should be coping strategies available for the child, the parents, other adults who work with him (like music teachers).  Check first with the parents - but choose your words carefully as they have probably heard an awful lot already about there child's shortcomings!

I think it is great that he is having this opportunity to take music lessons 0 and that he has someone teaching him who wants to help, not hinder, his development.  Way to go.

 Build in some errorless learning eg try having him play D G D G while you play an awesome duet part with him.    Make mistakes yourself and model for him that it is ok to make mistakes and you can cope with and learn from them.   Positively reinforce every small success.

Yes.  She cringes when she comes to the door and asks how the lesson went.

Maybe try and find out what makes your student laugh, if you like to use humour. I'm sure you already know he is very likely take everything you say literally.

This is his third lesson upstairs.  As I just moved my music studio upstairs.  He had a very good lesson yesterday.  Two lessons were bad.  It might have been the change.  Also his mother was away that week and he had a bad week at school.  So the lessons were a combination of him reacting poorly to his changes.  Poor guy.  He actually told me all about this.  He is also a little boy like any other.  In return for no whining during the lesson I gave him 2 minutes of free time to play the drums on my keyboard.

That makes sense since Aspergers is considered to be on the autism spectrum. People with autism generally don't deal well with change. Any chance you could warn him ahead of time about changes that will affect his lesson?

I did warn him.  School was a factor and his mother being away was a factor.   The boy seriously told me he did not trust me.  I asked him why and he said that it was "not normal to change floors for lessons and that really upset him"

There are so many things that factor into any child's behavious (or adult's for that matter). I'm glad you did tell him - I'm sure that did help. It sounds like he had a really tough week - it's great that he feels comfortable telling you about it. I hope his comment about changing floors for the lesson didn't upset you.

Serena, it sounds to me like you really care about this boy and the needs that he presents, and that you have a desire to make things good for him - those are great qualities in a teacher.

We moved from downstairs to upstairs.  No the comment didn't upset me.   People with asperger's syndrome do not like change and this was a big one for him.  I didn;t think the carpenter was coming so soon because I had planned to take him upstairs earlier and show him the upstairs so it wouldn't have been a shock. 

I think he expressed himself very well for a 5/6 year old about what was bothering him and I listened.  I didn't know what to say so I just listened and said "I am sorry we had change floors.  I see it bothers you"

 I have no idea how scary it must be to someone like him for things to have to be in order for him all the time or his world is scary and he can;t relate to it.   So whatever I can do to make it a little easier for him I will do.

It sounds like you had a perfect response. Really, all we can do is listen.