Anna Stokke

Department of Mathematics and Statistics,
The University of Winnipeg,
515 Portage Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 2E9


Professor & Chair, Department of Mathematics & Statistics

3M National Teaching Fellow

Co-founder & President of Archimedes Math Schools (non-profit)

Co-founder of the advocacy group WISE Math

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

I authored a C.D. Howe report: What to do about Canada's declining math scores, May 2015.

Awards for teaching, educational leadership and community service

I as listed as one of Ace Burpee's Top 100 Most Fascinating Manitobans for 2021.

Editorials on math education

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.

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


  • Over the past five years, I have given over 100 media interviews on math education in my role as a mathematician, an educator and a numeracy advocate.

  • I have been interviewed by CBC's Cross Country Checkup, DNTO, Lang & O'Leary Exchange, As it Happens, The National and have interviewed for CBC radio programs across Canada. I have also given interviews for 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.

    • CBC Information Radio, CBC, April 2021

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

    Manitoba students consistently receive failing grade 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 math 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:

  • At the University of Winnipeg, I developed the courses for the math content portion of the Post-Baccalaureate in math education.

  • I oversee the development and delivery 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 for which I serve as the President and Executive Director.

  • 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 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 / resources for children:

    JUMP Math (published by a Canadian charity)

    Singapore Math

    Saxon Math


    Additional resources:

    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 out of 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.

    Free math instructional videos:

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