About this episode

Anna Stokke discusses how to navigate claims of 'research shows' in education and offers strategies for parents and teachers.

In this episode, Anna Stokke explores what to do when a math program or education initiative doesn’t seem to work, but you’re told ”research shows” that it does. Drawing on her personal experience as both a parent and educator navigating “research shows” claims, Anna explains how parents, teachers, and advocates can ask for evidence, evaluate what counts as credible research, and respond when weak claims are presented with confidence. This episode is based on a presentation she gave at researchED Toronto in 2025. Anna unpacks common tactics used to shut these conversations down, including shifting the burden of proof, overwhelming people with endless references, credential deflection, and denying that poor practice exists at all. She also offers practical advice for parents and educators on how to counter these tactics and spot and stop the spread of bad ideas in education. This is an essential conversation for anyone trying to push for better practice in schools and navigate resistance along the way. This episode is available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke A Substack version of this episode, written by Anna Stokke, as a guest writer for the Center for Educational…

People in this episode

Host: Anna Stokke

Topics covered

• math education
• research evaluation
• parent advocacy
• teacher strategies
• educational practices

Keywords

• research shows
• math program
• education initiative
• evidence evaluation
• bad ideas in education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: researchED Toronto, Center for Educational Progress

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