The Advocate Podcast: Amplifying Voices. Challenging Systems. Prioritizing Children.

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We hear it all the time: “That’s a good school.”

But what does good actually mean—and good for whom?

High test scores, strong graduation rates, and impressive school ratings can tell parents a lot, but they don’t tell the whole story. A school can look exceptional on paper while different groups of children have very different experiences inside the building.

In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love challenges parents and caregivers to look beyond the overall rating. She explores what academic data may be hiding, who has access to advanced opportunities, disparities in discipline, services for students with disabilities, representation and belonging, and the questions parents should ask when evaluating a school.

Because you’re not choosing a school for the “average” student.

You’re choosing a school for your child.

Before asking, “Is this a good school?” maybe we should be asking:

“A good school for whom?”

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In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love explores how Black girls are disciplined in schools and what is often missed before they are labeled “defiant” or “disrespectful.” Through the story of a 17-year-old facing discipline, she examines how bias, dress codes, and exclusion shape school responses, and asks what children’s behavior is communicating and what experiences shape it. She also reflects on her own experiences and calls for a shift from punishment to curiosity, care, and relationships. The episode challenges educators to rethink discipline as restoration rather than exclusion, and to consider how many Black girls are pushed out instead of supported.

The Advocate Podcast: Amplifying Voices. Challenging Systems. Prioritizing Children.

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What happens when the people who love children most unintentionally become the ones who limit their dreams?

In this deeply personal episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love revisits a childhood dream that was quickly dismissed, and the moment years later when she realized she had become a “dream assassin” to her own sons.

From wanting to be a gymnast to telling her basketball-loving sons to choose a more “realistic” path, Dr. Love explores the fine line between guiding children and allowing our own fears to determine their futures.

Are we preparing children for reality, or teaching them to stop dreaming?

Parents, educators, coaches, and mentors are challenged to examine the words they speak over children and consider a different response when a child shares a dream:

Instead of telling them why they can’t…what if we simply asked, “Why not you?”

🎙️ The Advocate Podcast: Amplifying Voices. Challenging Systems. Prioritizing Children.

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What if your child qualifies for extra support at school—and you don't even know it?

Many families experiencing housing instability don't realize they may be eligible for educational protections under the McKinney-Vento Act. Whether you're staying with relatives, living in a hotel, or moving from place to place, your child may have rights and resources designed to keep their education stable during an unstable time.

In this episode, Dr. Kristi N. Love explores the reality of hidden homelessness, explains who may qualify for support, and shares how schools and communities can help families navigate difficult seasons with dignity, hope, and opportunity.

Because housing instability should never become educational instability.

If this episode encourages or informs you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need to hear this conversation.

🎙️ The Advocate Podcast — Amplifying Voices. Challenging Systems. Prioritizing Children.

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What does it really mean to be successful?

As a new school year begins, Dr. Kristi N. Love challenges parents, educators, and students to look beyond grades, awards, and achievements and focus on something even more important—character.

In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Love shares the personal story behind her annual "Make Yourself Proud" Character Chat, including a lesson from her own college years that has stayed with her for more than 30 years. She explores why integrity matters, how the pressure to achieve can influence children's choices, and how parents and educators can celebrate not only what children accomplish, but how they accomplish it.

This episode is a reminder that while report cards may measure academic performance, character is what prepares children for life.

Because the greatest success isn't just earning the achievement—it's earning it in a way that allows you to be proud of the person you are becoming.

Share this episode with a parent, educator, coach, mentor, or student, and join us as we continue amplifying voices, challenging systems, and prioritizing children.

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Season 2 is here!

As a new school year begins, are we preparing children for more than just academics?

In this episode, Dr. Kristi N. Love explores what it truly means to prepare students for success before the first bell rings. From building routines and relationships to teaching emotional regulation and life skills, she challenges parents, educators, and communities to rethink how we support children.

Because children don't just walk into school carrying backpacks. They carry hopes, fears, experiences, and unmet needs. What if the way we prepare for the school year could change everything?

Join the conversation as we continue amplifying voices, challenging systems, and prioritizing children.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why emotional and behavioral preparation matters as much as academic preparation 
•  Practical ways parents can prepare children before school starts 
•  How educators can build relationships that set the tone for the entire year 
•  Why behavior should be viewed as a skill to be taught, not simply corrected 

Whether you're a parent, educator, school leader, or advocate, this episode will inspire you to start the school year with purpose, empathy, and high expectations.

Because every child deserves adults who won't stop fighting for them.

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Summer break is a time for fun, family, and making memories, but it can also be a time of tremendous growth.

In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi Love explores the reality of summer learning loss and shares practical, low-stress ways families can keep children engaged academically throughout the summer months. More importantly, she challenges parents to think beyond reading and math and consider how summer can be used to strengthen the behavioral, social, and executive functioning skills that children need to succeed in school and in life.

Learn simple strategies to support:
 📚 Reading and literacy development
 ➕ Math skills through everyday activities
 📝 Writing and communication skills
 🧠 Executive functioning and organization
 ❤️ Emotional regulation and self-control
 🤝 Social skills and responsibility

Dr. Love also shares free and affordable resources available to families and explains why behavior should be approached the same way we approach academics- with instruction, practice, feedback, and support.

Because summer growth isn't just about preventing the "summer slide." It's about helping children return to school more confident, capable, and prepared for success.

Resources Mentioned:
• PBS Kids
• Khan Academy & Khan Academy Kids
• ReadWorks
• National Geographic Kids
• Scholastic Learn at Home
• Local Public Libraries
• NASA for Students

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, or advocate, this episode will help you make the most of the summer months without turning summer into school.

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Some students struggle loudly.

Others struggle silently while everyone assumes they’re fine.

In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love explores why schools often treat academic struggles with intervention and support—but respond to behavioral struggles with labels, punishment, or assumptions.

This conversation dives into the quiet behaviors educators and parents frequently overlook:

• chronic disorganization
• missing assignments
• lack of follow-through
• inattentiveness
• inconsistent performance
• “capable but not producing” students

Dr. Love challenges the idea that these students are simply lazy or unmotivated and explains why behaviors connected to executive functioning, organization, and task completion should be addressed through Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports—just like academics.

This episode is a powerful reflection on intervention, skill-building, accountability, and what students may truly need in order to succeed.

Because sometimes the issue isn’t intelligence.

It’s that students were never explicitly taught how to manage the demands school places on them.

🎙️ Perfect for educators, parents, school leaders, counselors, and anyone passionate about supporting the whole child.

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In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love tackles one of education’s hardest and most emotional questions:

👉 How does a child reach 8th grade still struggling academically?

Through an honest and balanced conversation about retention, social promotion, intervention, attendance, special education referrals, and systemic gaps, this episode explores what happens when students continue moving forward without truly getting the support they need.

Dr. Love discusses:

• How grades can sometimes hide learning gaps
• The emotional impact of both retention and silent struggle
• What schools must consider before special education testing
• Why attendance, interventions, and documentation matter
• The importance of early intervention and honest communication
• What real support for students should actually look like

This episode is not about blame.

It’s about reflection.
It’s about advocacy.
And most importantly, it’s about making sure students are not just passed along… but truly prepared.

🎧 If this conversation resonates with you, share this episode with a parent, educator, counselor, or school leader.

Because every child deserves the opportunity not just to pass,
👉 but to truly learn.

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Are passing grades really a sign of success… or just a sign students are getting through?

In this episode, we take an honest look at a growing concern in education:

 👉 Students who are passing… but not truly understanding
 👉 Grades that don’t always reflect mastery
 👉 And a system that sometimes prioritizes completion over comprehension

Through real classroom experiences, personal reflection, and insights from educational theory, including the work of Paulo Freire, this episode explores the gap between performing in school and actually being prepared for life beyond it.

You’ll hear:

•  Why compliance is not the same as comprehension 
•  How students can “do school” without truly learning 
•  The impact of rushed instruction and surface-level understanding 
•  A powerful personal story about hidden gaps in learning 
•  And why meaningful feedback matters—even when answers are correct 

This conversation is for educators, parents, and anyone invested in student success.

Because at the end of the day…

👉 The real question isn’t “Did they pass?”
👉 It’s “Are they prepared?

Connect With Me

To submit a question or join my mailing list, use the information below.

• Facebook Group: TheAdvocate
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• Email: [email protected]