S03E15 - Anna Stokke on Cutting Through the Noise in Maths Education

About this episode

Dr. Anna Stokke discusses effective strategies in maths education and the importance of evidence-informed teaching.

In this episode of Knowledge for Teachers, I sit down with Dr. Anna Stokke—mathematician, professor, and host of the Chalk and Talk podcast—to unpack what really works in maths education. Anna shares her journey from academic research to advocacy, and why she’s become such a strong voice for evidence-informed teaching. We explore how to separate genuine research from marketing spin, why fluency is about much more than speed, and the dangers of relying on “engagement” as a proxy for learning. Anna also highlights simple, practical strategies—like cover-copy-compare and spaced retrieval—that help students build the confidence they need to tackle more complex maths. If you’ve ever wondered how to cut through the noise and focus on what truly improves student outcomes, this conversation is packed with insights you can take straight back to your classroom. Resources mentioned: Wise Math (advocacy group) Archimedes Math School JUMP Math (Canadian maths program) Singapore Primary Math Program ResearchEd (conference, where Anna presented) Chalk and Talk (Anna Stokke’s podcast) You can connect with Anna: Twitter/X: @rastokke Linkedin Website: https://www.annastokke.com/ You can connect…

People in this episode

Host: Brendan Lee

Guest: Dr. Anna Stokke

Topics covered

• maths education
• evidence-informed teaching
• student outcomes
• teaching strategies
• academic research
• advocacy

Keywords

• math education
• evidence-based teaching
• student engagement
• teaching strategies
• academic research
• math fluency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wise Math, Archimedes Math School, JUMP Math, Singapore Primary Math Program, ResearchEd, Chalk and Talk

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