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Google got the answers right. But Google isn't the one sitting in my classroom.

What happens when a student earns a perfect score but can't explain a single answer?

In this episode of The Advocate Podcast, Dr. Kristi N. Love challenges us to examine the growing disconnect between grades and genuine learning.

With Google, Google Lens, and artificial intelligence making answers more accessible than ever, students can complete assignments without necessarily developing the knowledge and skills those assignments were designed to teach.

But is technology really the problem? Or have we created an educational culture that rewards correct answers and completed assignments more than critical thinking and understanding?

Drawing from her experiences as an educator and parent, Dr. Love explores how academic shortcuts can disguise learning gaps, mislead instructional decisions, and leave students unprepared for future challenges. She also challenges educators to rethink assessment practices and parents to look beyond the gradebook.

Because a grade should tell us what a child has learned—not simply what a child has submitted.

Join the conversation as we explore how to hold students accountable while equipping them with the skills to become independent, confident thinkers.

🎙️ The Advocate: 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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