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 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.
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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 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.
The case for practice and the power of Math Corps with Alex Kontorovich (Ep 52)
Chalk & Talk
1 hour 16 minutes 37 seconds
1 week ago
The case for practice and the power of Math Corps with Alex Kontorovich (Ep 52)
In this episode, Anna Stokke has an engaging conversation Dr. Alex Kontorovich, a math professor at Rutgers University with a strong passion for math outreach. They explore why practice in math is often undervalued compared to disciplines like music or sports. They also discuss Math Corps, which is a summer math program for kids that combines evidence-based learning strategies with high expectations. Alex recently founded a Math Corps chapter in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The episode wraps up with a lively discussion about A Mathematician’s Lament by Paul Lockhart, sparked by a comment from a listener. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a mathematician, or simply someone interested in education, this episode has something for you.
This episode is available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke
TIME STAMPS
[00:00:00] Introduction
[00:02:54] The value of math practice
[00:08:11] Engaging in math outreach
[00:11:44] Rutgers Math Corps: Structure and curriculum
[00:21:41] When research confirms what experience already knew
[00:24:05] Why times tables fluency matters
[00:30:07] Science of learning techniques in Math Corps
[00:35:42] Using hand gestures and building classroom culture
[00:40:01] Gamification
[00:42:23] Why well-meaning schools still produce poor results
[00:49:37] Discussion on A Mathematician’s Lament
[01:16:03] Conclusion and final thoughts
RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES
How we learn: Naïve, purposeful, and deliberate practice with Stephen Chew
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-mrwn2-18adce0
Math Academy: Optimizing student learning with Alex Smith and Justin Skycak
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-jawpr-181e0c3
Applying cognitive science to education with Daniel Willingham
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-szugf-149dff1
Modern relevance in the math curriculum with Brian Conrad
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-gek66-148967a
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/transcripts/ep-52-transcript
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.annastokke.com/resources/ep-52-resources
MUSIC
Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Website: www.annastokke.com
X: @rastokke
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anna-stokke-3a1b4c
Bluesky: @rastokke.bsky.social
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 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.
