Words matter.

The words we use when we talk to ourselves matter.

The words we use when talking to our students matter.

So why do we keep calling the traits we want to cultivate in our students “strengths”?  Whether we intend a comparison or not, there’s no way to call a student a strong reader without another one feeling like they’re a “weak” reader. Those two opposites are just two intertwined in our brains to have one without the other.

So why not find a more accurate description- one all students can strive to become without feeling that they are lacking if they haven’t gotten there yet. I don’t need a student to be strong reader – they don’t need to bench press words, or whip a page open.  So instead of continuing to use words that have been passed down for generations just because we’re used to them, I’d like to offer some alternatives.

Here are some adjectives that I think better portray the type of readers I’m trying to grow. Instead of “strong” readers (or strong learners), why don’t we seek to create:

Courageous Readers – ones who aren’t afraid to keep going when they hit rough waters while reading in a word/phrase/passage they don’t yet understand, who will reach out to others when that happens if they discover they can’t navigate it on their own, and who call others in when they have learned something worth sharing

Eager Readers – ones who realize the knowledge, enjoyment, and surprises that books hold and seek to find them, readers who aren’t afraid to say “I don’t want to finish reading this book because I know there’s another that I will enjoy and I want to find that one”

Infinitely Hopeful Readers – ones who are sure that their next favorite read is waiting for them, and that there is a book for every moment, every mood, every age, and it’s just up to them (or their favorite librarian) to find it