A few years ago, I read Karl Deisseroth’s Projections: A Story of Human Emotions. It had a profound impact on me. Recently, Deisseroth shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on optogenetics.
The book recounts his psychiatric residency, Deisseroth took phone calls from people in crisis. He couldn’t see their faces. He had their words, the sound of their voice, and the questions he could ask. Here was a physician trained in science and evidence, and listening closely was how he understood what was happening. Deisseroth found this highly unsettling - similar to the reaction of teachers when we discuss things like conversation-based grading.
The book stayed with me as an educator. It made me ask why I so readily trusted a number as evidence of understanding, and gave less weight to what a student could tell me about their own thinking.
I think that question belongs to all of us here.
In the classroom, a grade tells you how a student did. A conversation tells you what they understand. A student might explain why an unsuccessful design was worth testing. Another might reveal a misconception hidden beneath a successful result. Both tell you what to teach next.
At practice, a robot that scores well can hide a team where one student understands everything and three are along for the ride. Ask each of them why the robot does what it does. You’ll know where to coach.
Every student brings an internal world with them: expectations, uncertainty, experiences, ideas. A score can only begin to reveal it.
I thought the book as fascinating and was happy to see Deisseroth get the Nobel. If you are looking for a good book, I highly recommend it.
