Teachers and education leaders are aware that their words can have a significant effect on their students. Words can build them up and encourage them to work hard or tear them down and lead them to despair. The language used in teacher evaluations is no different, says teacher Brooke Eisenbach. In this article, she shares stories of colleagues who, despite being deemed effective on their evaluations, felt frustrated and hurt by the lack of positive feedback on their evaluations. They noted that their evaluators went into detail about the problems they observed but said little about the areas where the teachers were doing well. One teacher left the profession because she felt that those evaluating her could not see the energy and passion she placed into each day of instruction. These teachers want to do well and help their students do well, and they welcome suggestions for improvement. But they also want to know that their evaluators see their potential. One teacher said, "I don't set out to be an ineffective teacher. So, why not provide me something to grasp--some hope that I can improve?" Evaluators' written comments on where teachers are succeeding will often motivate those teachers to carry on and seek ways to be even more effective.