Chalk & Talk

Ep 18. Education myth-busting with Daisy Christodoulou

Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Daisy Christodoulou.  Daisy is a teacher, an author and the Director of Education at No More Marking. They begin by discussing the myth that facts prevent understanding and the importance of content knowledge, with a side discussion on why it is important to memorize math facts.  They discuss why basic knowledge cannot just be outsourced to computers.  They talk about some common myths about exams and whether exams help students learn. Anna asks Daisy for her thoughts on a practice called ungrading. They talk about how to acquire knowledge and myths surrounding so-called 21st century skills. This episode is a must-listen for  anyone who is interested in education!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-18-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-18-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Podington Bear – Squirrel Commotion, Prolifereate
Blue Dot Sessions:  Tarte Tatin, Cases to Rest, No Squirrel Commotion, Partly Sage
OY Studio – Light Comedy
 
Website: www.annastokke.com
X: @rastokke
Threads: @rastokke37
Bluesky: @rastokke.bsky.social
 

Ep 17. Do timed tests cause math anxiety? with Robin Codding

In Episode 17, Anna Stokke sits down with Dr. Robin Codding to talk about timed tests and math anxiety.   Robin is a psychology professor who researches math interventions, assessment tools and math anxiety. She is  one of the founding members of the group The Science of Math.  
In this episode, Anna asks Robin to shed some light on claims that timed tests cause math anxiety. They discuss the relationship between math achievement and math anxiety, whether it's important to include timed practice in math class, how much practice is needed to become fluent with math skills, at what stage students should be engaging in timed practice, causes of math anxiety, and best ways to mitigate it.  
They talk about the relationship between conceptual and procedural understanding and whether productive struggle is a reasonable instructional technique.  Robin also shares strategies for identifying instructional methods that are philosophy-based, rather than evidence-based.  This episode is an essential resource for clearing up misconceptions about timed tests and math anxiety.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-17-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-17-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Podington Bear - Kitten
Blue Dot Sessions – Ivory pillow, Delmendra, Ivory Pillow, Partly Sage, Coulis Coulis
Website: www.annastokke.com
Twitter: @rastokke
Threads: @rastokke37

Ep 16. Applying cognitive science to education with Daniel Willingham

In Episode 16, Anna Stokke talks to cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Willingham. Dan shares some of the strategies in his latest book, "Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy."
They begin by addressing the learning styles myth. They discuss what constitutes retrieval practice in a math context and why retrieval practice is more effective than simply reading. They talk about how to help students recognize and solve variations in math problems, how to get students to use notes effectively, and distractions that hinder learning, such as cell phones and multitasking. He also offers some advice for when students face setbacks. Some of the discussion is geared towards high school or post-secondary students and their instructors, but the conversation will be useful and interesting for anyone who teaches or is interested in human learning.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-16-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-16-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Podington Bear - Kitten
Blue Dot Sessions – Tarte Tatin, Coulis Coulis, Balti, Are We Loose Yet, Gaena
Website: www.annastokke.com
Twitter: @rastokke
Threads: @rastokke37

Ep 15. Modern relevance in the math curriculum with Brian Conrad

Join Anna Stokke in discussion with Dr. Brian Conrad, who is a math professor and director of undergraduate studies in math at Stanford. They discuss some modern-day applications of math, and he gives some advice for parents who wonder what type of math their kids should learn to be ready for a four-year college degree in STEM or other quantitative fields. 
Listeners will receive an update on what happened with the California Math Framework since the two episodes featuring Jelani Nelson (Episodes 11 & 12).  As well, Brian Conrad shares examples of the many false or misleading citations he found permeating a 1000-page draft copy of the CMF. The discussion of those findings illustrates how citation misrepresentation can lead to misunderstandings about math and data science among the general public.
This episode is a must-listen for parents, teachers, policy makers and anyone with an interest in math or education.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-15-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-15-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Blue Dot Sessions – Tarte Tatin, Callison, Ivory Pillow, Coulis Coulis, Cases to Rest, Delmendra, Delicates
Website: www.annastokke.com
Twitter: @rastokke
Threads: @rastokke37

Ep 14. Stress and learning with Dan Rosen

Join Anna Stokke in discussion with Dr. Dan Rosen, who is a teacher and school leader.  They explore the impact of stress on learning.  They talk about the biology of stress, the difference between anxiety and stress, and common factors that trigger stress for students in the classroom.
They also discuss misconceptions about stress.  For example, stress may actually enhance learning at certain stages of the learning process.  They discuss the claim that timed tests cause math anxiety and talk about practical strategies for minimizing the impact of stress in high-stakes assessments, like exams. This episode will benefit educators of all levels, from K-12 to post-secondary, regardless of the subject they teach, be it math or another field.  Parents will also find it useful.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-14-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-14-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Blue Dot Sessions – Thannoid, Little Poder, Cases to Rest, Coulis Coulis
29811401 – Mysterious Illusion
OYStudio – Light Comedy
 
Website: www.annastokke.com
Twitter: @rastokke
Threads: @rastokke37

Ep 13. Powerful teaching with Patrice Bain

In Episode 13, Anna Stokke discusses teaching with Patrice Bain, who is a co-author of the book Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning.  Patrice was one of the first K-12 teachers to partner with cognitive scientists so that research could be conducted in a classroom setting.  This episode is all about using research-based power tools to transform teaching.  They discuss retrieval practice, spacing, interleaving and metacognition.  Along the way, they give practical teaching tips, with a special focus on math.  The strategies discussed apply to teaching any field and to both K-12 and post-secondary.  In addition to a familiarity with research-based teaching strategies, Patrice brings a wealth of practical teaching experience to the conversation.  This episode is a must listen for anyone who is interested in evidence-informed teaching!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-13-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-13-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Podington Bear – Proliferate, Kitten
Blue Dot Sessions – Partly Sage, Cases to Rest, No Squirrel Commotion
Purple Planet – Bright Ideas
 
Website: www.annastokke.com
Twitter: @rastokke
 

Ep 12. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson Part II

This is the second 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, Anna Stokke and Jelani Nelson discuss whether students should have the option of accelerating in math in middle school.  First, Jelani describes how he founded the non-profit AddisCoder.  Jelani shares his thoughts on acceleration and discusses the impact of acceleration reforms in San Francisco. They also discuss the makeup of the CMF writing team, citation misrepresentation in the CMF, among other topics.
For better or worse, California tends to lead the way when it comes to changes in education, so this episode is an important listen!
The next episode of Chalk & Talk will be published on July 28. 
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-12-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/ep-11-12-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Podington Bear – Sunset Strolle, Kitten, Lake Victoria, Coulis Coulis
Blue Dot Sessions – Tall Harvey
 
Website: www.annastokke.com
Twitter: @rastokke
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ep 11. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson Part I

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

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

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