Learning Challenges Archives

Dyslexia in the General Education Classroom

January 5, 2015 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

By Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D.
Original Source: Edutopia
Originally posted October 23, 2014

The following passage is about dyslexia. I want you to assume that I will be asking you a comprehension question or two when you are done. You have one minute. Go!

The bottob line it thit it doet exitt, no bitter whit nibe teotle give it (i.e. ttecific leirning ditibility, etc). In fict, iccording to Tilly Thiywitz (2003) itt trevilence it ictuilly one in five children, which it twenty tercent.

How was that? Did you stumble on some words? Did you skip words and or substitute with “whatever” or “something?” Based on experience, I am going to guess this was not easy for you. I guess that if I asked you to read this in front of your peers, who are prone to judgment, you would feel anxious. I am also going to guess that if I asked you to tell me what you learned from the passage, you wouldn’t be able to recall any important information.

You just experienced dyslexia for one minute. During that minute, the passage slowed you down and forced you to pronounce words that didn’t seem to make any sense and weren’t familiar. You knew they were wrong, but you read them anyway. And how about that time factor? Did you feel pressed for time? If you were in a classroom full of your peers and I asked you to read this aloud and then asked comprehension questions, would your heart rate go up? Would you suddenly have to use the restroom? Or perhaps you’d need to go to the nurse with a stomachache? This is dyslexia.

What can a general education teacher do to help?

Understand Dyslexia
Let’s debunk a few of the myths and misconceptions right now. Dyslexia is not:

Seeing letters or words backward (In fact, reversing letters and words is developmentally normal through the first grade.)
Outgrown
A result of laziness or lack of motivation
A visual issue.

It is often said that dyslexia is an “umbrella term” when, in fact, it has a very specific definition. The International Dyslexia Organization says:

It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. Most students with dyslexia will receive the reading and writing help they need outside of the general education classroom, but there are many things a general education teacher can do to help students with dyslexia not only avoid situations, but thrive in your classroom.

Here is a short video from TED-Ed that explains dyslexia in just four minutes:

Understand the Role of Accommodations

Now that you have a better understanding of what dyslexia is and is not, it is important to know how you can help a student with dyslexia in the general education classroom. The best way, aside from the actual intervention, is to provide and understand the accommodations that he or she needs to be successful. Remember, these students are capable of learning, and many are intellectually gifted — their academic struggles are unexpected in relation to their innate ability to learn.

It cannot be overstated that students with dyslexia are capable of learning to read and write when given the appropriate intervention. This intervention should be structured and multisensory. It should be an explicit instruction of the underlying structure of English, and it should be informed by linguistics.

For many of these students, accommodations in the classroom can be the difference between academic success and academic failure and frustration. Below is a list of common and helpful accommodations:

Books on audio: These should be introduced as soon as a reading deficit is suspected, and implemented as early as kindergarten. The idea is to make sure that the intellectually capable student is not missing the chance to read good literature and the grade-level content he or she is capable of understanding in a format other than reading. Learning Ally and Bookshare are reputable resources.
Do not require the student to read aloud, unless he or she volunteers or had the opportunity to practice.
Provide notes ahead of time or allow the student to record the lecture. The Livescribe Pen is a fantastic tool.
Allow the student to verbally respond to short-answer and essay questions as well as dictate longer passages. Dyslexia affects writing as much, if not more, than reading. Their struggle with writing can often mask their actual thoughts.
Do not mark off for spelling — grade written assignments based on content only.
Remove time limits from testing and other timed situations.
Give multiple opportunities for success. If students who struggle in reading and writing are better at science, math, artistic, or physical activities, you can motivate them by showcasing their talents in other areas. It may the one thing a teacher does to save those students’ interest in school.

Dyslexia is real, occurring in up to 20 percent of the population. That means there is a student in every classroom, in every neighborhood, and in every U.S. school. It also means that every classroom teacher has the opportunity to positively change the life of a student with dyslexia by taking the time to understand what it is and provide accommodations for accessing information that student is capable of learning through alternate formats.

Do you know that teacher? Are you that teacher?

Admissions Consulting (PreK to College)

January 1, 2015

Types of Admissions Consulting Efforts

Independent Day Schools, preK-12
- Mainstream
- Specialized
- Therapeutic
Boarding Schools and Junior Boarding Schools
- - Mainstream
- Specialized
- Therapeutic
Public Schools, preK-12
Colleges and Graduate Schools, including Gap Year Programs
Homeschool Programs

Brad Hoffman and Faya Hoffman — a husband-and-wife team and both Board Certified Educational Planners (Educational Consultants) and Learning Specialists — offer admissions consulting and school planning support at every level from PreK through college, which includes both independent day schools and boarding schools. All consultation is managed on an hourly basis to maximize flexibility and to put each family in control of their effort scope.

PreK through High School

Admissions consulting with My Learning Springboard is a highly reflective practice designed to help children and families find schools and learning communities in which they’ll thrive. We focus on breaking down the admissions process into manageable pieces and helping students and families to stay organized and motivated.

Since it’s always better to have options, we strongly advise starting admissions consulting and standardized test preparation well in advance with a strategic planning session. For our youngest learners, our early childhood and elementary educators curate meaningful and individualized Kindergarten Readiness programs to support the preschool and/or kindergarten transition.

Nursery and preschool transitions should begin after 8 months to 1 year of age depending on a family’s interest in a 2s program;
Kindergarten transitions should begin in the late 3s/4s;
Middle School transitions should begin during the winter/spring terms of 4th grade;
High School transitions should begin during the winter/spring terms of 7th grade;
High school students are advised to begin the college planning process by 9th grade.

We help families and students to manage every aspect of the application process, including but not limited to:

Strategic planning for the process and developing timelines
Curating a well-balanced list of schools
Comparing and contrasting school programs
Identifying and preparing for standardized tests, including the ISEE and SSAT
Securing testing accommodations (if applicable)
Visiting schools and observing classroom instruction
Completing applications and navigating application portals
Developing parent statements
Developing student statements
Preparing for interviews
Managing strategic connections at schools
Managing strategic communications with school faculty

College Counseling

We help families and students to manage every aspect of the application process, including but not limited to:

Strategic planning for the process and developing timelines
Curating a well-balanced list of colleges and universities
Comparing and contrasting college programs
Identifying and preparing for standardized tests, including the ACT and dSAT
Securing testing accommodations (if applicable)
Visiting schools and observing classroom instruction
Completing applications and navigating application portals
Developing Common App essays, supplemental essays, and UCAS personal statements
Preparing for interviews
Managing strategic communications with faculty
Creating portfolios and showcasing artwork, photography, film, and musical accomplishments
Preparing for auditions

Professional Associations

In addition to their years of classroom teaching experience, targeted intervention, curriculum design work, and admissions consulting with both families and schools, Brad and Faya are both Board Certified Educational Planners (AICEP) and Professional Members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).

My Learning Springboard is also a member of ISAAGNY, a consortium of independent schools in and around New York City, as well as WISER, a member organization of the Washington Independent Services for Educational Resources (WISER).

Additionally, Brad and Faya are members of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), The Enrollment Management Association, The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), the Small Board School Association (SBSA), the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP).

Specialty Designations

Brad and Faya each have three specialty designations through AICEP and IECA, which is quite unique:

Mainstream school planning (typical schools, both day and boarding schools)
Specialized school planning (day and boarding schools for students with learning disabilities)
Therapeutic school planning (includes therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness programs, and in-patient treatment)

This unusual range of admissions consulting and school planning expertise allows Brad and Faya to grow with students and families over time and support siblings in a family who may have very different profiles. It also allows for flexible and creative problem solving as there are myriad pathways to lifelong success. Brad and Faya can move in just about any direction with a family — including crisis management — working collaboratively with schools, related service professionals, or members of the My Learning Springboard faculty as appropriate.

Scheduling a Planning Meeting

Whatever your need or wonder may be, please don’t hesitate to contact us. An initial planning meeting is usually the best way to get started. These meetings can be 30, 45, or 60 minutes by Zoom, by phone, or in person per a family’s preference. A single planning meeting allows us to talk more substantively about your family’s specific needs, priorities, and goals so that we can determine possible next steps. We’re committed to developing unique solutions for unique learners!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Warm regards,
Brad Hoffman and Faya Hoffman,
Co-Founders and Learning Concierges, My Learning Springboard

What are Executive Functions?

January 1, 2015 Brad Hoffman

Executive Function Coaching is at the forefront of many new discussions surrounding the best methods to help young people thrive in (and out of) the classroom. The reason why Executive Function is so talked about right now is because we have more brain research than ever before and we understand how executive function impacts academic performance. However, explaining Executive Functions can be difficult because most are unfamiliar with the educational and psychological jargon used to describe Executive Function coaching. This blog post is designed to help everyone understand why Executive Function coaching is so helpful and how it works.

The simplest way to define Executive Function is: “The Ability to Complete Jobs the Best Way Possible.”

From the moment a student receives an assignment until the time he or she turns in the final project, several different mental tasks must be completed.

To finish any assignment, a student must answer the following questions:

What materials do I need to complete the assignment? (Organization)
When should I do this, and what is the best time for me to finish it? (Planning)
Is soccer more important than finishing this paper? Is this paper more important than my math homework? What should I do first? (Setting Priorities)
Should I answer the text I just received from my best friend or not? Should I check the update on Instagram that’s being commented on by all of my friends? (Impulse Control)
Does the assignment adhere/fit the instructor’s expectations or have I reinterpreted the task? Am I delivering what was asked for? (Self-Monitoring)
Obviously, there’s more to getting a task done than just telling oneself they must do it. We are pulled in many different directions by conflicting priorities and the normal distractions of life. Completing simple tasks sometimes involves complex questions that may not have easy answers.

For most young people (and many adults) there are one or more “weak spots” in their process of completing a specific job. As adults, some of us are terrible at meeting deadlines (Self-Monitoring), but absolutely excel at purchasing all the supplies we will need to complete a task and setting up a work schedule (Organization/Planning) but never begin the actual work (Task Initiation).

Through Executive Function coaching, we pinpoint which of these mental tasks (e.g. Impulse Control, Self-Monitoring, Setting Priorities, Task Initiation, Planning, or Time Management) needs improvement and then develop specific skills and strategies to enhance a student’s performance. Executive Function coaching celebrates a student’s strengths and examines each individual gear in the machine of task completion. It’s a holistic and individualized approach that is successfully improving how students are able to meet and exceed their goals.

Executive Function coaching involves much more than is outlined here, but the fundamental process is easy to understand. If you want to know more, check out My Learning Springboard’s Executive Function Coaching page or contact us to discuss your family’s specific needs.

By Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed.
Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist
My Learning Springboard, Inc.

What is Nonverbal Learning Disorder?

December 11, 2014 Brad Hoffman

Difficulty picking up concepts and patterns affects kids visually, socially, and academically

By Caroline Miller
Original Source: Child Mind Institute
Originally posted December 10, 2014

This is the first in a series of articles about non-verbal learning disorder developed in collaboration with Winston Preparatory School, a New York area school that has taken a leading role in working with students with the disorder.

When we think of learning disorders, we tend to think of dyslexia and other disorders involving language—that is, kids who have trouble decoding language and learning to read.

But there is another, less well-known type of learning disorder that’s not about verbal communication—hence it’s called nonverbal learning disorder. You’ll see it referred to as NVLD or NLD. It isn’t an official diagnosis like ADHD and autism—in fact many kids who have non-verbal learning challenges have those diagnoses. But experts say focusing on NLD explains what’s happening with kids—and how to help them learn—better than those diagnoses.

Recognizing patterns

Kids who have NLD do not have trouble decoding language, reading, or learning information in a rote way. As Scott Bezsylko, executive director of Winston Preparatory School, puts it, “Think of it as the opposite of dyslexia.” The problems these kids have involve, he says, all the other kinds of learning. “All the stuff that involves understanding information—relationships, concepts, ideas, patterns.”

These deficits—all things related to the right hemisphere of the brain—can affect a child’s ability to do a surprising variety of things. Physical coordination, social interaction, problem solving, organizing thoughts, planning—all these things can be challenging. They seem very different, but the unifying theme is that each requires the ability to recognize patterns or concepts and then apply them to new situations.

The five areas of NLD

There are five areas in which children with NLD show weakness. Not all children have weaknesses in all areas.

1. Visual and spatial awareness:

Many kids with NLD have trouble understanding visual imagery. For example when they are asked to copy a shape like a cube they produce “profound distortions,” says Bezsylko. “These kids can’t accurately perceive the cube, the forms that make up the cube, and the relationships between them. Hence they can’t copy it.”

They also have difficulty evaluating visual-spatial information. This means they have trouble grasping the relationships between things they see and having a clear sense of where they are. This can make them physically awkward.

2. Higher-Order Comprehension:

Higher-order comprehension is the ability to identify the main idea in something, the details that support the main idea, and the relationships among them. This affects kids’ ability to comprehend reading, and write or tell a story effectively.

It also affects taking notes. Bezsylko observed that some kids essentially take down everything the teacher says because they don’t know what’s important and what not to take down. Other kids don’t know what’s important so they take down nothing, and people think they aren’t paying attention. Or they take down all the wrong things.

3. Social Communication

Most kids with NLD have trouble reading emotion in facial cues and body language, so they often don’t know what’s going on in social interactions. They miss the social patterns that other kids pick up automatically, so they don’t know what’s appropriate behavior in a given situation.

Difficulties with social communication is one reason why kids with NLD often focus—sometimes obsessively—on technology. “In chat rooms or in a video game they don’t have to deal with all the nonverbal stuff,” Bezsylko notes.

4. Math Concepts

Many kids with NLD are very good at rote learning, and they are able to do well in math just by memorizing data. But as they get older they struggle to solve more advanced mathematical problems that are based on recognizing concepts and patterns. Even with a problem they’ve seen before, if it’s approached differently or modified slightly, they have trouble recognizing it.

5. Executive Functions

Executive functions are a set of skills we use to organize our thinking, plan and carry out actions, and figure out how to solve problems. Most kids with NLD have weaknesses in these organizing and planning functions. For instance they struggle with breaking down a project into smaller pieces, or conceiving steps that need to be taken to get something done.

“These kids have trouble figuring things out—in fact they don’t really know what figuring something out means,” Bezsylko says. “We have to help them learn to do that—the step-by-step process you go through.”

How do these deficits manifest in kids with NLD?

In addition to the different combinations of symptoms, kids with NLD also vary along a spectrum of severity.

One the one hand there are kids who are extremely high-functioning but socially awkward, a little clumsy, disorganized—what Bezsylko calls “the absentminded professor type.” Other kids are more pervasively affected, and they function with more difficulty in many areas. “These kids often struggle to learn everything that isn’t rote or literal.”

At Winston Prep, a study of more than 100 students with NLD showed that there were 6 combinations of the 5 deficits. The largest group had all five of the deficits, but the second largest group had just two: social communication and executive functions.

When do these deficits become noticeable?

Many kids with NLD can do well enough in elementary school because they are very good at memorization and rote learning. It’s common for them to run into trouble around middle school, when their difficulty with the higher order reasoning—figuring out the main idea, the details, and the relationships—causes them to fall behind. “There’s a saying that in fifth grade you stop learning to read, and now you read to learn,” notes Bezsylko, “and that’s when these kids fall apart.” Historically, Winston Prep took kids in sixth through tenth grade; they’ve started to take some kids as young as fourth grade.

“Almost all of these kids look inattentive and disorganized,” Bezsylko adds, “especially as they get older. The more that schoolwork, math concepts, and socialization become complex rather than rote, the more those difficulties start to show up.”

A more comprehensive diagnosis

NLD is not one of the official diagnoses mental health professionals and schools use to categorize kids with psychiatric or learning problems. Kids who have it usually have other diagnoses—often autism or ADHD. But while those diagnoses list their symptoms or behaviors, they don’t fully explain them, argues Bezsylko.

For instance, if a child is disorganized and inattentive, he is likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. But he may well be disorganized and inattentivebecause he doesn’t understand what’s being discussed, what he reads, or the problem he’s been asked to solve. That’s where NLD comes in. “You can’t pay attention if you can’t understand,” notes Bezsylko.

Similarly, a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder will be described as having social and communication deficits. Those behaviors, too, can reflect NLD—not being able recognize patterns in facial expression, body language, and other forms of nonverbal communication can make kids unresponsive socially.

Take the kids in the Winston Prep study who had all five of the deficits. Most of them had a diagnosis of either ADHD or autism spectrum disorder. “But those diagnoses don’t identify three important areas where they are struggling,” notes Bezsylko: “higher-order comprehension, math concepts, and visual and spatial relations. Unless their NLD is recognized, they’re not likely to get help that strengthens or compensates for weaknesses in those core areas.”

5 Creative Ways to Teach Students with ADHD

December 1, 2014 Brad Hoffman

By Leah Levy
Original Source: Edudemic
Originally posted November 10, 2014

Recently, the NY Times ran an excellent article entitled: A Natural Fix for ADHD. In this piece, Dr. Richard Friedman, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Director of the Psychopharmacology Clinic at Weill Cornell Physicians, explores the neuroscience behind ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). In so doing, Friedman attempts to reframe our understanding of just what ADHD is, and how much more nuanced our approaches for treating it need to be.

ADHD in the Classroom Has Long Been a Controversial Topic

On the one hand, advocates of pharmaceutical interventions like Ritalin and Adderall point to the substantial scientific and anecdotal evidence confirming that ADHD medications help students concentrate in the classroom and better manage their workloads at home. Many teachers consider these medications essential in terms of classroom management, as untreated students with ADHD can derail class discussions and require the teacher to devote enormous wells of energy just to keeping the class in line. (That said, it should be noted that ADHD manifests in many forms and affects quieter students at high rates as well; in fact, ADHD can take an even more serious toll in this case, as it often goes undiagnosed for much longer). For these reasons, it is not uncommon to hear teachers, parents, and even students themselves refer to ADHD medications as a “miracle.”

However, take a scroll through the comment section of any article written in support of these medications, and you are bound to see many commenters offering stories of inappropriate medication use. ADHD is often used as a catch-all diagnosis for all perceived behavioral issues, as it is easier to prescribe medications without probing further into root causes of outwardly displayed symptoms. Many parents and students describe feeling pressured into taking medication, and often lower resource students aren’t given any outside support beyond the prescription. When these students become adults, they describe feeling like they were pathologized for brain chemistry that was out of their control.

And yet every teacher, counselor, and administrator knows the frustration that ensues when a student clearly has ADHD and a family dismisses the medication route out of hand. Many counselors feel that treating ADHD with medication is just like treating depression, anxiety, and any other condition that arises in the brain.

Is there a compromise to be made here by stitching together a pharmaceutical, behavioral and pedagogical approach customized to suit the unique needs of the individual student? The answer to that is a clear yes — but in order to get to what that approach might look like, we first must begin with a deeper look at ADHD itself.

The Neuroscience Behind ADHD

ADHD may sound like a singular diagnosis, but it actually falls into three different subtypes. For students who mostly exhibit symptoms of inattentiveness, studies indicate that the neurotransmitter norepinephrine is at the root of the problem; that is, these students have variations in their norepinephrine transport genes that make it so that the amount of norepinephrine circulating in their systems is different than that of neurotypical control subjects.

In contrast, students with the hyperactivity-impulsivity ADHD tend to have fewer dopamine receptors. As Dr. Friedman describes it in his NY Times article, dopamine is a part of our brain’s reward pathway, so with fewer receptors available, students with this kind of ADHD need more stimulation in order to keep their minds’ from wandering. By blocking the reuptake of dopamine, stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall keep the levels of dopamine high in the brain, while a nonstimulant like Strattera blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine. In this way, all three medications (and medications like them) help students to focus.

(Wondering what the third subtype of ADHD is? A combination of the previous two.)

When ADHD Was an Evolutionary Advantage

Look up any definition for ADHD and you will find a laundry list of oft-repeated symptoms: easily distracted; has trouble maintaining attention; disrupts class; fidgets; always on the go; blurts out answers; butts into conversations. The list goes on.

But while these symptoms may be clear, there is less agreement on just how to interpret them. For instance, when Stephen Tonti spoke about his ADHD at TEDxCMU, he argued that attention “deficit” is a misnomer, as people with ADHD can hyperfocus when the task at hand interests them. Instead, he locates the heart of his difficulty in selecting something to apply that full attention to, and argues that what he experiences is a difference in cognition rather than a disorder. He is, in his own words, “attention different.”

In his NY Times piece, Dr. Friedman focuses on the tendency of the ADHD-brain to seek out novel experiences. In so doing, he argues that ADHD was once evolutionarily adaptive, pointing to a recent study of the Ariaal, a mostly nomadic tribe in Kenya with a recently splintered and settled subgroup. The study found that nomadic men with a dopamine receptor variant related to ADHD were more likely to be well-fed, while those with the variant in the settled splinter tribe were gaunt. Friedman hypothesizes that ADHD is adaptive for a dynamic environment, in which novelty-seeking and a short attention span actually keep nomads aware of their surroundings and make them better hunters. In contrast, ADHD becomes problematic in a more sedentary culture where activities like school, farming, and selling goods require more sustained focus.

This explanation gels with a critique often raised by ADHD advocates: that it is not the ADHD-brain that is problematic, but an overly regimented school environment constructed for an industrial age with a high need for workers and bureaucrats. Still, whether you agree with that statement or not, this is the system we have right now, and students with ADHD will need to navigate it both here and as they enter the work world. What’s more, teachers must have the ability to teach their classes without constant interruptions.

5 Creative Approaches

1. Get Hands-On

Many students with ADHD work best with hands-on learning. As such, to appeal to their learning style, it is often better to “do” rather than “tell.” Whether it’s engineering their own popsicle stick building, manipulating blocks, typing on a computer, drawing illustrations for a class book, putting science into action in the lab, participating in a Maker Fair, or getting to be the “teacher for the day,” hands-on activities are sure to engage and build confidence.

That said, it’s important not to assume that all students with ADHD will be kinesthetic learners, and to engage students in the modality that most speaks to them. We recommend having your student take a learning styles quiz to give you a grounding for developing customized approaches.

2. Vary the Routine

If we know that students with ADHD are novelty-seeking, why not use that to our advantage? Keep lectures as short as possible, and rotate students often through activities. While it is important to keep students with ADHD organized with a structure you have provided, changing the routine up once in awhile will be a nice surprise and will help prevent boredom. Encouraging students with ADHD to pick up extracurricular activities can also be useful, as it will allow students to hyperfocus with their passions and also to nibble at many different tasks throughout the day.

3. Incorporate Movement Into Your Lesson Plans

If you’ve determined that your student with ADHD is a kinesthetic learner, there are many creative ways to incorporate movement into the classroom. When reviewing questions for an upcoming test, try tossing a ball to students you want to call on rather than addressing them by name. Acting out great scenes from history will embed facts and dates deeply into student minds, as will turning letters and sounds into characters and acting out their characteristics as you are teaching a class to read. And never underestimate how fun it can be to simply get out of that desk, stretch, and do a little dance break!

4. Teach Mindfulness

Teaching mindfulness in the classroom is becoming an increasingly popular technique, and one that can be particularly helpful for students with ADHD — although a student with ADHD may need intensive, individual coaching in this area. In so doing, it can help to have reminder words that you can say to let a student know when it might be time to pull back for a moment, reflect, and draw on the mindfulness techniques you’ve covered previously.

5. Create a Tutoring Program

All students deserve a customized, student-centered learning experience, but students with ADHD will need extra attention in developing sets of tools and strategies for navigating the classroom. Smaller class sizes would be ideal here, but since class size is beyond teacher control, it can be more useful for teachers to advocate for a tutoring or mentoring program for the school. With one-on-one attention, students with ADHD will have someone there for them to help provide structure and stay on top of their progress, while also translating the neurotypical classroom experience for them, and helping them to develop the skillsets they need to operate well in school and beyond.

The Verdict

Students with ADHD are highly intelligent and packed with potential, just as long as they are given the resources they need to thrive. That may mean medication, but that also means working hard to find customized teaching and behavioral strategies as well. In the end, only a nuanced, multi-pronged approach will prove effective — all the more so when those approaches are backed up with a diverse support network.