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

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.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

What if the problem starts with the labels we use? Welcome to the Advocate Podcast, where we support families, students, and educators in navigating school spaces and ensuring every child gets what they need to thrive. I'm your host, Dr. Christy in Love. I recently came across a social media post that stopped me in my tracks. It says, Words shape identity. When we label students as low, we're not describing them, we're defining them. And the more they hear it, the more they believe it. Raise the language, raise the expectations, raise the outcome. That post perfectly frames today's conversation. Last week I sat with someone who was labeled as gifted, but he also described himself as unmotivated. That second label didn't come from a file or formal record, it came from himself. Even though the system identified his intelligence and potential, he shared that he often felt unmotivated. Not because he lacked ability, but because he felt like his teacher saw what he could do but didn't always push him to reach his full potential. Think about that. Capable but not challenged. Full of potential but not fully developed. And over time, that disconnect can turn into a label a student places on themselves. So today, I want to ask a deeper question. What if the problem starts with the labels we use and the expectations we attach to them? What if the words like at risk, unmotivated, or even gifted are shaping outcomes before a child ever has a chance to fully show us who they are? Because when we label the student, we are not just describing them, we are influencing how they experience school and how they experience themselves. And today I want to challenge us to think differently. What if instead of seeing students as at risk, we began to see them as at promise? Not a feel-good phrase, but a shift that can change how we teach, how we lead, and how students ultimately perform. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Dr. Christy N. Love is an experienced educator and advocate dedicated to empowering students and families to ensure children receive a high-quality education. She specializes in culturally responsive teaching, restorative practices, and social-emotional learning, helping schools create supportive and inclusive environments. Through the Advocate Podcast, she amplifies voices, challenges inequitable systems, and keeps children at the center of every conversation.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

Language is never neutral. In education, language shapes perception, and perception shapes practice. When a student is labeled at risk, it often becomes shorthand for a list of assumptions. They will never perform at grade level, they will have behavior issues, they lack support at home, they are behind and may always be. Even when we don't consciously believe these things, labels influence the level of rigor we provide, how quickly we help or give up, how often we call on certain students, and even who we see as capable. But as we heard in last week's episode, labels don't just come from systems. They can come from students themselves. When a student says, I'm unmotivated, it's often the result of repeated experiences, things like not being challenged, potential being noticed but not developed, and expectations being unclear or inconsistent. So the question becomes, are we truly responding to what students can do, or are we allowing potential to sit untouched? Research shows expectations matter. When we expect less, we often get less. Not because students lack ability, but because opportunities are limited, and students internalize the language we use and the experiences we create. I wish I could take credit for the term at promise to replace the term at risk. But actually, the term emerged as a direct response to deficit-based thinking in education and youth development. Educators, researchers, and community leaders pushed back against at-risk because of its unintended consequences. Youth development scholar Victor Rios highlights how systems label and limit young people, particularly students of color, based on perceived risk instead of recognizing resilience and potential. At Promise connects to strengths-based frameworks like positive youth development, which focuses on building on assets instead of deficits, creating supportive environments, and recognizing cultural wealth and lived experiences as strengths. Organizations like the Search Institute also promote developmental assets, highlighting what young people have and can become rather than what they lack. So, At Promise is more than a rebranding, it's a philosophical shift rooted in research, advocacy, and a belief in human potential. This shift may seem simple, but it matters. Many students labeled at risk navigate poverty, trauma, systemic inequities, and bias in discipline and instruction. But risk does not equal destiny. Just like the student from last week, able but not pushed consistently, the issue is often context, not capacity. We often overlook the student who translates for their family, the student who shows up every day despite instability, the student who is creative, resourceful, and adaptive. When we shift to at promise, we ask different questions. Questions like what strengths is this student already demonstrating? What conditions do they need to thrive? And how can I remove barriers instead of labeling the child? And that changes everything. I would like to share a story I came across on social media. It says, there was a student who often got labeled as a behavior kid. He noticed dandelions in our schoolyard not as weeds, but as wishes. They were meant to be protected, not picked apart. He was genuinely upset watching others pluck them without a second thought. In that moment, it hit me. How often do we do the same thing to kids? How often are they dismissed, labeled, or removed from spaces without anyone stopping to see the value they hold? These students aren't just their behaviors. They are stories, perspectives, and possibilities. And it's a privilege to get to know them beyond the label. That's beautiful. So, what should educators do? Here are a few practical shifts. One, audit your language daily. Replace deficit-based phrases with strength-based descriptions. Two, start with strengths in every conversation. Name at least one success before discussing challenges. Three, redesign support conversations. Shift from what's wrong with the student to what supports do they need. Four, maintain high expectations with high support. Scaffold, don't lower the bar. Five, push potential intentionally. Challenge, extend, and hold accountable. Six, build relationships that reflect belief. Students notice when you genuinely believe in them. And seven, center student voice. Invite students into conversations about their growth and goals. The label at risk has historically been disproportionately applied to black and brown students, students from low-income communities, and students with diverse learning needs. Culturally responsive pedagogy is essential. It asks us to see students in the context of their culture and community, value their lived experiences, and challenge systems that perpetuate inequity. Changing language is one step, but it must be paired with changing practices, policies, and mindsets. So what if every time we were about to say at risk, we paused and asked, What promise am I not yet seeing? And when a student describes themselves as unmotivated, we asked, Where has the student not yet been challenged, supported, or inspired? When we change how we speak about students, we change how we show up for them. And we change how we show up, we change outcomes. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow educator, parent, or leader. Let's commit to shifting the narrative. One word, one mindset, one student at a time. I'm Dr. Christy in Love. Thank you for listening. And until next time, keep asking the hard questions, keep showing up for children, and keep advocating because children deserve adults who won't stop fighting for them. Be blessed.