Chalk & Talk

In this episode, Anna Stokke has an engaging conversation Dr. Alex Kontorovich, a math professor at Rutgers University with a strong passion for math outreach. They explore why practice in math is often undervalued compared to disciplines like music or sports. They also discuss Math Corps, which is a summer math program for kids that combines evidence-based learning strategies with high expectations. Al...

In this episode, Anna Stokke chats with Bruno Reddy, a math teacher and the creator of Times Tables Rock Stars. They discuss his journey from founding a school to creating Times Tables Rock Stars to address foundational skill gaps. Bruno shares great ideas for generating excitement in the math classroom and motivating students to practice essential math facts. They also discuss the importance of math fl...

Host and math professor Anna Stokke talks to Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden about a topic many Chalk & Talk listeners have asked about: universal screening in math. Amanda explains what universal screening is, why it matters, and how schools can use it to identify students who need extra support.  They also discuss how to choose validated screeners, common mistakes to avoid, and how screening connects to e...

In this episode, Anna Stokke interviews The Right Honourable Sir Nick Gibb, former Minister of State for Schools in England. Nick discusses the bold, evidence-based reforms he led over a decade to reverse declining academic performance in English schools. From phonics-based reading instruction to math mastery, he explains how high expectations, rigorous curricula, and a focus on teacher training transfo...

Join math professor Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Stephen Chew, a cognitive psychologist at Samford University. They explore the different types of practice—naive, purposeful, and deliberate—and why understanding these distinctions can transform teaching and improve learning. The discussion also covers how to use feedback effectively, structure worked examples in math class, address common studen...

In this special mailbag episode, Anna Stokke tackles two listener questions and a comment. She breaks down a logic puzzle that stumped some fans, explains why relying on calculators isn’t a substitute for math fact fluency, and highlights comments from a listener about encouraging literacy trends in several Southern U.S. states.

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In Episode 46, Anna Stokke chats with Australian education leader Ross Fox. As the former Director of Catholic Education for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Ross led a major shift in teaching practices that led to significant gains in both literacy and numeracy. 

The episode begins with an overview of the Australian education system.  They then explore Ross’s imple...

In this episode, host and math professor Anna Stokke interviews Mike Petrilli, President of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, about the role of standardized testing in K–12 education. They discuss the benefits and criticisms of standardized tests, the methodologies behind tests like NAEP, international comparisons with PISA and TIMSS, long-term trends in student performance, and the consequences of decli...

Dr. Anna Stokke and guest Dr. Zach Groshell answer listener questions in a special mailbag episode. They cover strategies for managing varying levels of math proficiency in the classroom, critique the Building Thinking Classrooms approach, and discuss whether number talks should be prioritized for developing math fact fluency. This discussion provides practical insights and critiques on current educatio...

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Jamie Metsala, one of two content area experts on the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read public inquiry. Jamie shares her expertise on the importance of strong early instruction in foundational reading skills, the pitfalls of balanced literacy, and the urgent need for evidence-based practices in education.  They explore the role of parent advocacy a...

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Alex Smith, Director of Curriculum, and Justin Skycak, Director of Analytics, from Math Academy.  Math Academy is an AI-powered online learning platform designed around science of learning principles.  They discuss Bloom's 2 sigma problem and explore how Math Academy aims to address it. They also explain how the platform leverages knowledge graphs to support mas...

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Sarah Powell, a leading expert in teaching students with math difficulties. They discuss the shortcomings of a recent joint position statement by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) on teaching math to students with disabilities.

Sarah critiques the statement’s failure...

In this episode, Anna Stokke welcomes Dr. Therese Markow, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Diego, and host of the Critically Speaking podcast. They discuss the critical intersection of math and science education.

Therese shares her firsthand experiences as a geneticist and post-secondary educator, highlighting the alarming decline in basic numeracy amo...

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Marcy Stein, professor emeritus from the University of Washington, Tacoma, about her firsthand experience with Direct Instruction (DI) and Project Follow Through—the world’s largest educational experiment. Despite showing DI’s effectiveness with at-risk students, the results were largely ignored.

Marcy shares insights into the origin...

Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Blake Harvard, a secondary teacher in Alabama.  They discuss insights from his new book, Do I Have Your Attention?, including how he incorporates cognitive psychology into his teaching.

Their conversation explores topics like cognitive architecture, memory constraints, attention contagion and common learning pitfalls. Bl...

Join Anna Stokke as she chats with Dr. Jo Castelino, a secondary school teacher, to discuss her new book on homework.  They discuss the vital role of homework in education, exploring why it's important, how much should be assigned and what types of homework are most effective. Jo shares insights from research and her experiences, addressing common criticisms of homework, strategies for creating a school...

This solo episode, hosted by Anna Stokke, provides educators, parents, and students with practical, research-backed methods to develop math fact automaticity. These techniques have been shown to work with a wide range of students across age, skills and settings.  Key techniques discussed include flashcards, cover-copy-compare, taped problems, incremental rehearsal and explicit timing, with detailed inst...

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with two university math instructors, Dr. Darja Barr from the University of Manitoba and Dan Wolczuk from the University of Waterloo.

What does it take to succeed in university math? Which topics are most critical for success in university calculus? They cover these questions and more in this episode, which is a must-listen for educators, par...

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Kimberly Berens in Episode 34 of Chalk & Talk. Kimberly is a behaviour scientist, an author, and the founder of FIT Learning.  They discuss the fundamentals of behaviour science, the importance of measurable outcomes, the role of reinforcement, and the application of behaviour science to effective instruction, particularly in math.  They also cover concepts ...