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

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

By Dr. Kristi N. LoveEducation
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The Advocate Podcast: Amplifying Voices. Challenging Systems. Prioritizing Children. episodes

  • If Not Traditional Grading… Then What?: Making Sense of Fair Grading

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    What actually makes a grade fair, and what happens when we mix learning, behavior, and completion into one number?

    In this episode, we go beyond traditional grading debates and get into the real questions educators and parents are asking right now: Should students be allowed to retest? How do we fairly grade homework when access and home environments vary? And what role does AI play in whether homework even reflects true learning?

    We also explore why some schools are shifting grading scales (like the 50 minimum) and moving toward standards-based grading, and why changing numbers alone doesn’t solve the deeper issue.

    A major focus of this conversation is clarity: grades should reflect academic mastery, not behavior, effort, or circumstances outside of learning. So what does accountability look like if it’s not tied to grades?

    This episode challenges assumptions, invites reflection, and pushes us to ask a bigger question:

    Are our grading systems measuring what students know or everything around it?

    A must-listen for educators, parents, and anyone rethinking what fairness in education really means.

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    15 min
  • Grading or Gatekeeping? What Are We Really Measuring in Schools?

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    What if the way we grade students is not actually measuring what they know?

    In this episode, we take a deep look at traditional grading practices and ask hard but necessary questions about equity, accuracy, and student learning.

    From the 0–100 grading scale and how a single zero can distort achievement, to late penalties, extra credit, and assignments that don’t always reflect mastery, we explore how grades can sometimes measure compliance more than understanding.

    I also share a personal experience as a parent that challenged my perspective on grading and learning, along with reflections on how we support students who are struggling, and those who may be passing without being fully prepared for what comes next.

    We also talk about:

    •  Why behavior and academic achievement should be separated 
    •  The problem with averaging scores over time 
    •  Why re-teaching and reassessing matters for true mastery 
    •  And how instructional decisions should be driven by data, not just grades in a gradebook 

    This is a conversation for educators, parents, and anyone who cares about student success beyond the report card.

    Are our grading practices telling the truth about learning or are they gatekeeping opportunity?

    Let’s talk about it.

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    13 min
  • From At-Risk to At-Promise: How Words Shape Student Outcomes

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    What if the problem starts with the labels we use? I’m your host, Dr. Kristi N. Love, and on this episode of The Advocate Podcast, we explore how the words we choose in education shape student identity, expectations, and outcomes.

    We’ll discuss the origins of the term at-promise, share stories of students who defy labels, and offer practical strategies for educators to raise expectations, nurture potential, and see students for who they truly are. This episode is for anyone ready to shift the narrative from risk to promise, and make a real difference in the lives of children.

    Let's Go!

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    12 min
  • Gifted but Disengaged: The Truth Behind ‘Unmotivated’ Students

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    What if the students we label as “unmotivated” are actually the most misunderstood?

    In this powerful episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love sits down with a guest whose story challenges one of the most common narratives in education. Identified as gifted but often disengaged, he struggled to meet traditional academic expectations, not because he lacked ability, but because the system didn’t align with how he experienced learning, responsibility, and motivation.

    From unfinished homework and falling behind… to the influence of a father who demanded accountability… to ultimately finding discipline, structure, and purpose through the military, this conversation unpacks what it really means to grow into your potential.

    Together, we explore:
     ✨ The difference between being unmotivated and being misunderstood
    ✨ Why academic success doesn’t always reflect true ability
    ✨ The role of parents in balancing accountability and support
    ✨ What educators often miss about students who don’t “perform”
    ✨ How discipline and direction can transform a life

    This episode is a must-listen for educators, parents, and anyone who believes in seeing beyond labels and investing in what’s possible.

    Because sometimes, the problem isn’t the student… it’s the narrative.

    🎧 Tune in—and don’t forget to share with someone who needs this perspective.

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    41 min
  • Beyond Bootstraps: What We’ve Been Told vs. What Is True

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    What if the problem isn’t that people aren’t working hard enough…
    but that we’ve been telling the wrong story?

    In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, we challenge the deeply rooted “bootstrap” narrative—the idea that success is simply the result of hard work and personal responsibility. While effort matters, this conversation goes deeper, unpacking the systems, structures, and historical realities that shape access, opportunity, and outcomes.

    Building on earlier discussions about literacy as a justice issue, this episode zooms out to examine the broader context: how environment, exposure, and policy influence what children experience long before they ever step into a classroom.

    We explore:

    • The difference between effort and access
    • How communities are shaped by systemic decisions over time
    • Why we often misinterpret struggle as lack of effort
    • The lasting impact of historical policies on present-day outcomes
    • And how our language—like shifting from “at-risk” to “at-promise”—can reshape how we see and support children

    This episode invites listeners to move beyond surface-level explanations and begin asking deeper questions—not just about education, but about equity, opportunity, and responsibility.

    Because when we change the narrative…
    we change how we show up for children.

    🎙️ Next week: A powerful, real-life story that brings this conversation to life—exploring responsibility, resilience, and the role of community in shaping success.

    💛 If this episode resonates, share it with someone who believes in advocating for children and challenging the narratives that limit them.

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    13 min
  • Intelligence-Led Literacy: Exploring Social and Environmental Determinants and Life Trajectories. A Conversation with Demetrius Paschel

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    In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, we explore why literacy is not just an education issue—it’s a justice issue. I sit down with an expert to discuss the social and environmental determinants that shape early childhood reading comprehension, and how struggles with literacy by third grade can lead to negative long-term outcomes, including dropout, suspension, and even justice system involvement.

    We dig into the factors outside the classroom that impact reading, the ways academic frustration can be misinterpreted as behavioral issues, and what schools, families, and communities can do to intervene early. This conversation is essential for parents, educators, and policymakers who want to understand how equitable literacy opportunities can transform a child’s future.

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    40 min
  • Before the Interview: Why Third Grade Reading Is a Justice Issue

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    Third-grade reading proficiency is often discussed as an academic milestone. But what if it’s also a justice issue?

    In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love begins a deeper conversation about why early literacy matters far beyond the classroom. Before next week’s expert interview, she explores how reading development is shaped by early childhood experiences, environmental conditions, and access to opportunity.

    Listeners will learn:

    • Why third grade is considered a critical literacy benchmark
    • How early language exposure and environment influence reading development
    • The connection between reading struggles, frustration, and classroom behavior
    • Why literacy should be viewed as prevention — not just academic intervention

    Dr. Love also introduces next week’s guest, Demetrius Paschel, founder of DeedsCorp, whose work examines complex systems through data analysis and risk assessment. His research on youth outcomes, environment, and systemic conditions offers a powerful lens for understanding how early literacy can shape long-term life trajectories.

    This episode challenges us to rethink how we respond when students struggle — and to consider the broader systems that shape learning long before children enter a classroom.

    Because literacy isn’t just about reading.

    It’s about access.
    It’s about opportunity.
    And in many ways, it’s about justice.

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    11 min
  • Literacy Is Liberation: Why Third Grade Changes Everything

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    Third-grade reading isn’t just a milestone, it’s a turning point. In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love explores why early literacy is one of the most powerful tools for equity, opportunity, and life outcomes. We unpack the myths and facts behind the alarming statistic linking third-grade reading struggles to future incarceration, discuss systemic barriers that impact children, and share actionable ways parents, educators, and communities can support young readers.

    Because reading isn’t just about books, it’s about escaping a system designed for failure. Tune in to learn how literacy can change lives and why advocacy starts with a book.

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    10 min
  • A Parent's Letter: Respecting Identity in Christian Schools

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    This week on The Advocate, Dr. Kristi N. Love shares a powerful letter from an anonymous parent at a Christian school advocating for respect, dignity, and belonging for her child.

    This episode isn’t an interview—it’s a reflection on what happens when faith, identity, and school culture intersect. It challenges parents, educators, and leaders to examine what advocacy really looks like in their own communities.

    Because advocacy isn’t about taking sides. It’s about taking responsibility—for children.

    New episodes drop every Wednesday. Subscribe, share, and keep advocating.

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    17 min
  • Until He Can Speak for Himself: A Mother’s Advocacy Journey

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    When Taylor Christina Terry sat in my 10th-grade classroom, neither of us could have imagined the journey ahead.

    Now a wife and mother, Taylor is raising her oldest son, Clayton, who has autism. In this powerful and honest conversation, she shares how becoming a special needs mom completely transformed her perspective, not just as a parent, but as a former educator.

    Taylor opens up about:

    • The early signs and diagnosis process
    • Navigating therapies and support through The Riley Center
    • What it feels like when professionals dismiss a mother’s concerns
    • The emotional toll of having to fight for your child
    • How faith has anchored her through uncertainty
    • Practical advocacy tips for families walking a similar path

    She also reflects on something many of us are brave enough to admit: how easy it is to judge what we don’t understand, until it becomes your story.

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    1 hr 18 min

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

From the publisher's feed

The Advocate Podcast centers real stories from social media to help parents, educators, and communities advocate for children with wisdom, courage, and compassion. Hosted by Dr. Kristi N. Love, the…