Middle school can be challenging for children, families, and especially teachers. But Denver math teacher Xander Epps wants to change that narrative. This semester, he has set a goal to send each of his 120 students home with a positive message.
Using printed templates, handwritten shout-outs and a carefully organized tracking system, he pulls students aside to introduce them to the project and celebrate what they did well. The results, he said, were powerful: He noticed a change in classroom culture, with more students willing to help, engage and support each other.
We talked with Zander about why he started this, how he keeps it going and what he’s learned along the way.
You can follow Zander on Instagram.
Q: Can you share your teaching background and experience?
I’m from San Diego, California. I played college volleyball at Lourdes University near Toledo, Ohio. I am currently in my seventh year teaching in the Denver area. Along the way, I taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math. I am currently working in sixth grade.
Q: What is your teaching style or philosophy?
My top priority is building healthy, strong relationships with my students. I firmly believe that students are more likely to take risks and put in more effort with a teacher they like. I love being silly and using humor and memes to really show my students that it’s okay to be themselves.
Q: What inspired you to set the goal of sending a positive message to your home? every Students this semester?
I saw the structure of a positive review online by my friend Diego Napoles. [We did a story on Diego—see it here.] He had done something similar in an elementary school classroom, so I wanted to adapt the idea in a way that would be more appropriate for middle school.
Q: Why positive annotations? Why is this communication important to you?
Everyone loves a little positive reinforcement, especially middle school students. They are at an awkward and unique stage in life. These pre-teens are often overlooked, with the public focusing on the less bright parts of middle school. I hope that sending a positive message home can change the perspective of many of my students. They deserve it.
Q: What format are these notes in? How much do you need to do?
I think printed notes with handwritten shoutouts are the best option! You can’t always rely on adults to check their email or voicemail, or their contact information may be out of date. But if you give students a note and hype something positive they did that week, they will rush to hand the note to their families. I have about 120 students in total who I will be sending notes to over the next few months.
Q: Let’s be honest, this is middle school! no yes difficult? ! What if you have nothing to say?
We all know middle school is not easy for anyone! For some students, it’s easy to praise them. For others, not so much. But over the course of a week, it’s impossible not to find at least one positive action worth highlighting. You have to know your audience. For some students, getting to school on time, bringing a pencil, limiting the number of interruptions—these are wins worth recognizing!
Q: How do you stay organized and find time to send so many personal messages?
I printed about 200 templates on cardstock and also had a spreadsheet with the names of all my students. I’m taking a systematic approach to helping myself stay organized. For example, one week I will focus on students #1 and #2 in each class (in alphabetical order). Throughout the week, whenever I see something worth shouting about, I fill out a positive contact template and attach a handwritten message.
Q: What reactions have you seen from families or students so far?
The response I received was just amazing. I received handwritten thank you notes and thank you emails. Parents are extremely grateful for the positive feedback their children receive.
Q: What changes have you noticed in your classroom since you started this work?
Students like to receive positive comments. I have found that students are increasingly willing to help each other, be kinder to each other, help clean up around the classroom, and are more engaged. For some students, these things come naturally, but for others, I think positive reinforcement can really help them feel more comfortable with these interactions.
Q: Do you think this is something you will continue to do in future semesters?
I’m not sure how things will turn out. I don’t know if this works or if it’s worth the extra effort. But even in a short period of time, I have seen huge improvements in the culture of our class, and it will definitely be something I continue to incorporate into my practice!
Q: Do you have any other suggestions for using positive notes?
I can stand in front of a room of students and teach without issue, but for whatever reason, I don’t like calling other adults. This has been a roadblock for me throughout my career. Email is not always reliable. Sending a positive message home is a simple way to show love to my students and it gives them more ownership over their actions.
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