Everyone learns differently, and that’s not a flaw. Yet many traditional classrooms follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Standardized curriculums, uniform pacing, and rigid lesson plans, sometimes even verbatim instruction, leave little room for variation.
According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, one in five students has learning and attention issues, and even more need additional time, hands-on approaches, or different methods to succeed. As Sister Diana Dolce SSJ, executive director of Hope Hall School in Rochester, explains, this creates “Swiss cheese” learning—full of holes that only deepen as curriculum marches forward.
Dolce challenges the traditional definition of fairness in education. “Fair” shouldn’t mean everyone gets the same thing, she says, but rather “each student getting what they need to learn the same thing.”
She first noticed learning differences decades ago while teaching in Rochester’s parochial schools. Some students picked up lessons quickly, while others needed more time or different types of engagement. When she adapted her teaching to match students’ pace and styles, all students succeeded. Her experience led to the founding of Hope Hall in 1994, a school designed for students who learn differently, especially those unsuccessful in traditional classrooms.
Hope Hall’s curriculum uses hands-on strategies to match individual learning styles. Teachers break concepts into small chunks and incorporate multisensory instruction using concrete materials—even for abstract topics.
Lessons aren’t rushed. Teachers assess daily, and if comprehension drops below 80%, they reinforce before moving on. “Success is measured not by how quickly a lesson is completed, but by how deeply it is understood,” Dolce says. Ironically, this approach often saves time overall because students don’t need to backtrack.
Beyond instruction, Hope Hall builds a culture of care and community. Creative and cooperative lesson planning is essential, but what matters most is that, “We all care about what happens to each and every student.” For those who’ve felt invisible or misunderstood in school, this sense of belonging becomes life-changing.
One of the biggest misconceptions, Dolce explains, is that there are better students and poorer students, “A” learners and “D” learners. “There is no such thing,” she says. “If given respect and enough time in a supportive, multisensory learning environment, every student can learn. And learn well. No one should settle for less, no matter what anyone tells them.”
Looking ahead, Dolce plans to share her model more broadly through a forthcoming (Fall 2025) book and by licensing the Dolce Method. She sees it as an approach that could reshape education, especially for students who are failing or passing with grades of D or C. “If schools better understand and teach according to the diverse learning styles of their students, the education system will improve across the board.”
Dolce lights up when she describes her favorite moment each year: graduation speeches. Every student gives a speech about what they learned at Hope Hall and what they take with them into the world. “So many speak of learning values such as hospitality, perseverance, tolerance, cooperation, collaboration, and with them standing up talking to a couple hundred people about what truly matters,” she says.
In a world that increasingly values personalization in all industries, Hope Hall’s success reminds us that learning differences aren’t flaws to be corrected. They are invitations to teach more thoughtfully, more creatively, and with more compassion.
Hope Hall’s approach proves that when education adapts to the learner and not the other way around, students don’t just succeed. They thrive.
Hope Hall began with 70 donors each giving $1,000. Though small class sizes weren’t “fiscally responsible,” Dolce stayed committed to her vision. Grants and private donations largely fund the school—and the outcomes speak volumes. Since adding high school grades 15 years ago, Hope Hall has maintained a 100% graduation rate.