Education

Chalk & Talk

Everyone wants to see children and young adults succeed in math, but it can be difficult to sort myths from facts in education. Join math professor, Anna Stokke, for conversations with leading educators and researchers about the importance of math, effective teaching methods, and debunking common myths about math and teaching. Chalk & Talk is a podcast for anyone interested in education, including educators, parents, and students.

Latest Episodes:

Ep 11. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson Part I Jul 08, 2023

Show notes

This is the first episode of a two-part series featuring Dr. Jelani Nelson. He is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley. Dr. Nelson, and other STEM leaders, have publicly raised concerns about the proposed California Math Framework (CMF). In this episode, much of the discussion surrounds the CMF’s promotion of data science and changes to math requirements in the University of California system.

Anna Stokke and Jelani Nelson discuss what sort of math is needed for a data science degree and the crucial role of Algebra II in preparing students for careers in STEM. Jelani explains the circumstances surrounding the emergence of two high school data science courses that have been marketed as substitutes for Algebra II, despite containing minimal math content. He also addresses the claim that the CMF is equity-based. They wrap up the episode by discussing what happened when he retweeted a post about a prominent math educator charging a school district $5000 an hour in consulting fees.

For better or worse, California tends to lead the way when it comes to changes in education, so this episode is an important listen!

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-11-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-11-12-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media - Catch it

Purple Planet Music - Bright ideas

MusicTown - Inquisitive Orchestra

Yevhen Onoychenko - Comedy Detective

Blue Dot Sessions - Cases to Rest

Podington Bear - Coulis Coulis, Squirrel Commotion

OYStudio - Light Comedy

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 10. Maximizing learning through explicit instruction with Zach Groshell Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

Join math professor, Anna Stokke, as she chats with Dr. Zach Groshell. He is an instructional coach and a passionate advocate for evidence-informed teaching. They discuss whether it’s possible to expand working memory, the characteristics of a successful explicit instruction lesson, effective approaches for delivering feedback and more. They also tackle a question sent in by a listener who asked whether teaching math through open-ended problems is effective. This episode will resonate with teachers, parents and anyone interested in education.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-10-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-10-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it

Podington Bear – Kitten, Camp

Blue Dot Sessions – Tall Harvey, Thannoid, Squirrel Connection

OYStudio – Light Comedy

Lexin Music – Upbeat Documentary

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 9. The tweet that roared with Tom Bennett Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Tom Bennett. He is a teacher, author and founder of the grass roots, non-profit organization ResearchED. Tom has a captivating sense of humour, making this a great listen. They discuss many things in this episode, such as education research, group work, cell phones in schools and evidence-informed teaching. But the conversation begins with the story of ResearchED, which has started an evidence revolution in education. It all started with one tweet – as Tom Bennett calls it “The Tweet that Roared.” Anyone interested in education will enjoy this episode!

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-9-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-9-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it

Podington Bear – Sunset Stroll, Camp, Proliferate

Blue Dot Sessions – Cases to Rest, Partly Sage

OYStudio – Light Comedy

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 8. Lessons from around the world with Lucy Crehan Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

In this episode math professor, Anna Stokke, interviews Lucy Crehan, who is a teacher and an author. In her book, Cleverlands, she presents her first-hand observations of the education systems in different countries.

They discuss teacher qualifications in Finland and Singapore, teacher professional development in Japan and math lessons in Shanghai. They cover some commonalities in high-performing countries, such as the use of high-quality textbooks, and the role of practice and memorization in East Asian countries. The conversation then shifts to cultural differences, some of which may impact educational outcomes. If you are curious about education systems in different parts of the world, you won’t want to miss this episode!

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-8-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-8-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it

Podington Bear – Lakeside Path

Blue Dot Sessions – Tall Harvey, Hundred Mile

Lexin Music - Upbeat Documentary

OYStudio – Light Comedy

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 7. How to excel in math and other tough subjects with Barbara Oakley May 18, 2023

Show notes

Join Anna Stokke as she interviews Dr. Barbara Oakley, an engineering professor whose work focusses on the relationship between neuroscience and social behaviour. She is an expert on learning tough subjects and has written several books for teachers and students that detail science-based techniques for learning.

They cover learning techniques such as chunking and deliberate practice. They explore why being a slower learner may not necessarily be a drawback and consider whether it’s possible to catch up on math skills later in life. Dr. Oakley shares some effective study techniques and offers strategies for overcoming procrastination.

Post-secondary educators and teachers will not want to miss this episode. The learning tips discussed will also be invaluable for students, parents and anyone who wants to become better at learning math.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

h ttps://www.annastokke.com/ep-7-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-7-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it

Podington Bear – Lakeside Path, Kitten, Camp

Blue Dot Sessions – Cases to Rest, Thannoid

OYStudio – Light Comedy

SoulProdMusic – Upbeat and Happy Music

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 6. Math teaching tips with Barry Garelick and JR Wilson May 04, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Anna Stokke is joined by two experienced teachers, Barry Garelick and JR Wilson. They have recently published a book called Traditional Math: an effective strategy that teachers feel guilty using. Throughout the interview, Barry and JR share strategies and practical advice that they have used in their own classrooms with great success.

They cover topics that will resonate with teachers, including how to get students excited about math, how to effectively use the “I do, we do, you do” method of teaching and the role of understanding in math. They also discuss critical math topics that teachers should focus on, tips for teaching word problems, how to keep advanced students challenged, and how to help struggling students, among other things. This episode will be interesting to teachers, parents and anyone with an interest in math education.

MUSIC

Intro and Outro music by Coma Media - Catch it

Transition music by Podington Bear – Camp

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-6-transcript

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-6-resources

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 5. Critical issues in education with Matt Henderson Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Matt Henderson, an assistant superintendent of a school division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, challenges with online teaching, and the pervasive use of cell phones and social media. They also discuss the implications of AI, particularly ChatGPT, on education. The conversation then turns to math teaching, as Matt shares his insights on the challenges facing math teachers and approaches that have helped teachers in his school division. He also provides practical advice for new teachers. This episode a must-listen for educators, parents, and anyone interested in education.
MUSIC

Intro and Outro music by Coma Media - Catch it

Transition music by Podington Bear – Camp

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-5-transcript

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 4. Cognitive load theory with Greg Ashman Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, math professor Anna Stokke sits down with Dr. Greg Ashman, an Australian teacher, writer and researcher with a wealth of knowledge on cognitive load theory. Dr. Ashman shares his journey into education writing and research, including some of the challenges he has faced along the way. He shares some pitfalls of education research studies and discusses what happened when he tried to track down the references for a claim that timed tests cause math anxiety. The conversation also includes a discussion on cognitive load theory and its implications for effective teaching. Dr. Ashman explains what good explicit instruction looks like in a math classroom and provides practical advice for new teachers.

This episode is a must-listen for teachers, parents and anyone with an interest in education.

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-4-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro music by Coma Media - Catch it

Transition music by Podington Bear – Camp

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-4-transcript

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 3. The Science of Math with Amanda VanDerHeyden Mar 25, 2023

Show notes

Join math professor Anna Stokke as she interviews Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden, a leading expert in using evidence-based methods to improve math instruction in schools. Dr. VanDerHeyden is a co-founder of The Science of Math, a group of experts advocating for evidence-based math instruction.

Dr. VanDerHeyden shares the origins and goals of the Science of Math movement, as well as addressing common misconceptions. Do timed tests cause math anxiety? Do standard algorithms hinder understanding? Is explicit instruction only helpful for struggling learners? The discussion also covers what happens when kids fall behind in math, among other topics.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in education, especially teachers and parents.

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-3-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro music by Coma Media - Catch it

Transition music by Podington Bear – Camp

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

http://www.annastokke.com/ep-3-transcript

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke

Ep 2. Evidence-based teaching strategies with Paul Kirschner Mar 11, 2023

Show notes

Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Dr. Paul Kirschner, a renowned educational psychology researcher and speaker. This episode will be of interest to anyone involved in teaching, whether they work with children or adults, or simply have an interest in education.

Dr. Kirschner explains how we process information in our brains, and how this can be applied to improve teaching practices. He shares insights on effective teaching techniques such as spaced practice, scaffolding, the worked example effect, among others. Additionally, he dispels some common education myths and critiques teaching methods lacking research-based evidence.

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-2-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro music by Coma Media - Catch it

Transition music by Podington Bear – Camp

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-2-transcript

Website: www.annastokke.com

Twitter: @rastokke