Math Education

I am a professional mathematician, educator, and an advocate for strong math education for Canadian children. I volunteer in many different capacities to help children improve their math skills. I co-founded and run a non-profit organization (Archimedes Math Schools) devoted to helping kids with math. Previously, I co-founded an advocacy group WISE Math. I have given around 200 media interviews on math education and written numerous articles for the public.

I produce and host a popular podcast, Chalk & Talk, where I interview prominent educators and researchers about education and math.

I co-established the University of Winnipeg Stokke Scholarship for Excellence in Mathematics.

Speaking requests

I will talk to teachers, schools and school divisions about effective math teaching when my schedule permits.

Email a.stokke at uwinnipeg.ca for information.

Editorials & writing on math education

Commentaries/Reports

Fact-checking research claims about math education in Manitoba, Authored by Darja Barr, Jim Clark, James Currie, Payman Eskandari, Shakhawat Hossain, Narad Rampersad, Anna Stokke, Ross Stokke, Matthew Wiersma, December 2024.

C. D. Howe Intelligence Memo to Canadian Ministers of Education: Reversing the decline in Canadian Math Scores, December 20, 2023.

What to do about Canada's declining math scores, C.D. Howe Institute, May 2015

Editorials

Teachers need subject expertise, Winnipeg Free Press, November 12, 2024

Focus on improving math education, Winnipeg Free Press, January 6, 2024

Getting to the root of Manitoba's student assessment problems, Winnipeg Free Press, December 14, 2019.

When will Ontario break the cycle that is failing its math students?, Globe and Mail, September 2, 2017.

Use of teaching fads harming Manitoba students (with Barry Garelick), Brandon Sun, March 25, 2017.

No schooling on education cuts or take hikes Winnipeg Free Press, February 18, 2017.

Ontario's math system is broken. So why isn't the government fixing it? Globe and Mail, September 1, 2016.

The solution to Ontario's math problem needs work, Globe and Mail, April 2016.

Addressing Manitoba's education declines, Brandon Sun, December 2015.

Parental help factors in on math success, Winnipeg Free Press, September 2015.

Halting the slide in math, Winnipeg Free Press, May 2015.

No surprise in Manitoba students' poor math showings, CBC opinion piece, October 2014.

The education system in crisis, Winnipeg Free Press, October 2014.

Too much math education is based on pet theories, Globe and Mail, September 2014.

Practice and drills are the keys to math success, Winnipeg Free Press, September 2014.

Let 3 sticks represent 30 and other neanderthal math methods, Globe and Mail, March 2014.

On Alberta's math curriculum, Edmonton Commons, Edmonton Journal, March 2014.

Put down that pizza slice math teachers, Globe and Mail, October 2013.

Raise the lowered bar for math, Anna Stokke, Winnipeg Free Press, May 15, 2012.

Why Our Kids Fall Behind in Math, Anna Stokke, Winnipeg Free Press, September 16, 2011

Select media interviews

I have been interviewed by CBC's Cross Country Checkup, DNTO, Lang & O'Leary Exchange, As it Happens, and The National, CTV National News and have interviewed for various radio programs across Canada. I have also given interviews for Edutopia, the Globe & Mail, National Post, Maclean's Magazine, Winnipeg Free Press, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Calgary Herald, and the Saskatoon Phoenix, to name a few.

Here are some of the interviews I've given.

Podcast interviews

Critically Speaking (Dr. Anna Stokke: Why Johnny Can't Add), host Dr. Therese Markow, December 10, 2024

Pedagogy Non-Grata, host Nathaniel Hansford, October, 2024

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works, (Tackling math education problems) host Gene Tavernatti, August 19, 2024

The ThoughtStretchers Education Podcast, host Drew Perkins, July 22, 2024

Progressively Incorrect (Science of Math Panel), hosts Zach Groshell and Nathaniel Hansford, March 13, 2024

The Mike Smyth Show (Banning phones in school), June 14, 2024

Where Parents Talk (Improving student math skills), host Lianne Castelino, February 17, 2024

BCASP (BC Association of School Psychologists) Podcast, hosts James Tanliao and Kathleen Cherry, January 16, 2024

Select TV and print interviews

The tutoring revolution, by Holly Korbey, Education Next, October, 2024

Manitoba reinstates Grade 10, 12 exams following parental concerns, Global News, March 12, 2024

Canadian students' math, reading scores have dropped since 2018 — but study says it's not all COVID's fault, CBC News, December, 2023

Should more time be spent learning math facts? by Holly Korbey, Edutopia, October, 2023

Canadian students' math scores dipping for two decades, study suggests, CTV News, December, 2023

Canadian students’ math scores continue steep slide, raising concerns about how subject is taught, Globe & Mail, December, 2023

Alberta students three times more likely than in 2003 to be math illiterate, Edmonton Journal, December, 2023

Chalk & Talk - a new podcast all about math and teaching, CBC Up to Speed, March 15, 2023

Top 100 Fascinating Manitobans of 2021

CBC Information Radio, CBC, April 2021

Manitoba kids falling behind in math, CTV News, March 2021

Manitoba students consistently receive failing grades in math, science: professor, Global News, March 2021

Teaching your kids math at home CBC Information Radio, March 2020

Is there something wrong with the way math is being taught?, CBC's Cross Country Checkup, June 2015

How to help your kid with math, CTV Morning Live, April 2015

Three top math tips for parents, CBC's DNTO, March 2015

Disappointing match results, Lang & O'Leary Exchange

Why is it your job to teach your kid math?, Maclean's Magazine

Is there something wrong with the way math is taught in Canadian schools? CBC's Cross-Country Checkup

Frustrated professors convince schools to step back from new math and go back to basics, National Post

Basic arithmetic back in class, Winnipeg Free Press

Lessons from Archimedes, Canstar

Other work in education

I served on the Manitoba Teacher's Idea Fund Review Panel
At the University of Winnipeg, I developed the courses for the math content portion of the Post-Baccalaureate in math education.
I oversaw the development of 6 credit hours of math content courses for pre-service elementary and middle years teachers at the University of Winnipeg.
In 2011, I cofounded the advocacy group WISE Math.
In 2012, I cofounded the non-profit organization Archimedes Math Schools and I serve as the President and Executive Director. I co-developed all lessons for the program and hire all staff.
I regularly work with children as a volunteer in my capacity as President and Executive Director of Archimedes Math Schools.
I directed a summer math readiness camp, through Archimedes Math Schools, and in partnership with the University of Winnipeg's Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre in inner-city Winnipeg.
I regularly give public presentations about numeracy.
I have co-organized conferences and given several keynote presentations on math education.

Recommended Math Programs

JUMP Math (published by a Canadian charity)

Singapore Math

Saxon Math

You can find math books for kids, which include a variety of problems and math contest problems, as well as various enrichment materials at The Centre for Education in Mathematics Computing, which is run by the University of Waterloo. Past math contests for grades 7-12 are available FOR FREE at this website and are an excellent source of enrichment.

You can find instructional videos on anything from arithmetic to calculus at Khan Academy.