Our ApproachWhat makes The Yellin Center the best option for struggling students?
An Interdisciplinary Model
The Yellin Center combines the latest research in neuroscience, developments in education, and clinical care of the whole individual to provide advanced understanding of a student’s actual “mind in motion.” We support students, families, teachers and schools collaboratively and interactively. More than Testing A team comprised of a physician and learning specialist work one-on-one with individuals applying advanced experiential criteria to develop a comprehensive, and dynamic neurodevelopmental profile. Comprised of both traditional assessment measures and dynamic tools based on years of research and experience, the team provides concise understanding of how a student thinks and learns as well as the interrelation of their individual intellectual strengths and challenges. Beyond Simple Labels Broadly used diagnostic terms (such as "dyslexia" or "ADHD") need to be understood in the context of a student’s unique learning profile. The overuse and generalization of various labels has created a good deal of confusion for students, families and educators. The Yellin Center prides itself on helping students and their families translate these labels to their specific experiences and dynamics, while also yielding the types of data and documentation that schools, clinicians and testing institutions are accustomed to. Respect for Student Students are included in the majority of our discussions with families, where we clearly describe their unique minds in comprehensible terms and send them home after their assessment with a “snapshot” of their brain in action. Sharing our findings in age-appropriate terms with students is both enlightening and comforting to those who may have been focused solely on the frustrating, challenging aspects of their learning experiences. Action Oriented While technical knowledge of an individual’s brain function is crucial, it is not sufficient to help a student adapt and flourish academically. The creation of practical, customized strategies, ones that can be "tried on for size” by students, parents and teachers and amended, if necessary, in concert with our team, is a vital part of The Yellin Center’s approach. Parental Participation Parents observe our assessment and participate in consultations with the clinical team. Observing the assessment provides insight that can help parents understand the way their child learns and how best to implement strategies from our learning plan. Immediate Feedback Most assessments only supply written feedback weeks or even months after an assessment is completed. At the Yellin Center, results-sharing begins immediately, in most cases on the very day the assessment is concluded. Ongoing Support Care continues long after an assessment is completed and our findings, recommendations and learning plan have been issued. Post-evaluation meetings are arranged for families, teachers (if desired) and specialists to talk and address questions and concerns, and to discuss options for prioritizing and implementing strategies from the learning plan – via remote technology when returning to the center isn't possible. Built-in checkpoints help to monitor progress and identify difficult patches so that adjustments can be considered. Some families choose to continue working with the Center on an ongoing basis. A Clinical Perspective Dr. Yellin’s extensive experience as a pediatrician informs every element of our clinical approach. Applying the concept of differential diagnosis, our clinicians consider all possible aspects of academic struggle. A medical and neurological examination is a component of most assessments, and can help to determine if any medical conditions are affecting learning. As a physician, Dr. Yellin can prescribe medications where indicated. |
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