In this interview with "Educational Leadership," pediatrician Dr. Mel Levine, cofounder of "All Kinds of Minds," explains why students and educators should learn about eight neurodevelopmental functions that undergird our strengths and weaknesses. For the most part, he notes, adults who lead successful lives mobilize their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. Knowing a student's profile of abilities and nurturing his or her affinities are key to guiding that individual's schooling. Levine provides examples of how teachers can build on students' interests to teach skills as well as how they can assist students in harnessing their strengths to address their weaknesses. In this conversation, Levine also touches on such topics as gender differences in learning, the overuse of testing, and brain-based learning theories.