This paper is about teaching and learning across the so-called quantitative-qualitative divide in light of current debates in the US about the definition and quality of educational research. It draws on the author's research and teaching experiences, her role in the redesign of qualitative methods coursework and participation in a school-wide effort to improve doctoral training at Harvard Graduate School of Education. The paper explores institutional, cultural and psychological reasons for why the quantitative-qualitative divide persists, including researchers' own anxieties. It is argued that epistemological tensions in educational research should be sustained and embraced rather than resolved in favor of one side over the other, as is too often the case. The author identifies how qualitative research departs from the quantitative model, placing distinct demands upon students who are learning the craft, and offers suggestions for what might help the process.