Click. Sputter. Splat. Sigh. Okay, teachers! I’ve officially opened the can of worms labeled “tattling.” Are you ready to chat? It’s day three of our “One Week Only!” idea roundup, and our editors are eager to learn how you help your students avoid the tattletale trap!
Of course, I’m curious too!
Smiles,
Diane
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Wednesday’s Idea Request How do you discourage classroom tattling? How do you help students learn the differences between a tattle and an important piece of information that a teacher needs to know? |
We want your ideas for other topics too! See Monday’s request, Tuesday’s request, Thursday’s request, and Friday’s request.
On the first day of school I tell the students if anyone physically gets hurt I need them to come tell me, but everything else I I tell them I need them to call and report it and then I show them the Tattlephone and the number they are to call. If/when I see students by the Tattlephone, I try to walk past to make sure it isn’t something I need to know.
I tell my class unless someone is about to get hurt, or is hurt or sick to please take care of it themselves in a kind way. My example is, “Oh remember Mrs. Hamilton said to use pencils to write with.” As the year progresses and the Spring tattles erupt we have a complaint book where the children can write a complaint. They write their complaint, draw a picture and sign their name. I have been asked what happens next? My reply is “Just like in real life, after making a complaint…nothing happens…you just feel better.”
On the first day of school I introduce Miss Do-Bee Have a bee puppet I have. Miss Do-Bee Have talks about the rules of the classroom and she also reviews them throughout the year. Mrs Do-Bee Have sits beside her basket in my preschool room during all the classes watching to catch friends being good. But she also is there when someone forgets the rules.
When I find I have a Tattler or a Sheriff as I call them. I have the child tell it to Miss Do-Bee Have by writing it down or drawing a picture of the offense and placing it in her basket.
I have found that the child usually will slack off the tattling after drawing and writing the complaints down for a while. After all it interveres with their free time.
I have a Tattle Tiger in my room that the kids refer tattles to unless someone is physically hurt. The tattler goes to Tattle Tiger and fills out a form telling me what happened and who is involved. Before writing the tattle, they must right a couple of positive things about the person they are tattling on. I then read the slip and discuss the tattle with those involved. I read the positive things to them as well. We talk a lot about if the tattles are just a way to get someone else in trouble. If so, then that isn’t a tattle that needs to be told. I’ve found that when the kids hear positive things about themselves, it sometimes deters them from doing things that get tattled on. This year I’ve had one tattle and last year I have three. It has really reduced the amount of tattling going on in my room.
I use Tattling Tommy (a puppet) that the kids can talk to and if they don’t talk to Telling Tommy, I tell them “Thanks for sharing.”
I tell my children unless someone is bleeding or dead, they need to solve the problem. Everyone needs to take care of themselves and not be concerned with what the others are doing.
I have used a few different activities…I have them tattle to the President on a pretend phone. They can tell the class buddy or write a letter to the class buddy and put the letter in his mailbox. Like Danielle, I try to listen in on “phone conversations” and check out the mailbox. It’s a challenge…all year long with my first graders.
I have students write it down and I assure them I will read it (which I do!). Everyone wants to be heard so that takes care of that but…I also read and reinforce the ideas in a great book called Don’t Squeal Unless It’s a Big Deal by Jeanie Franz Ransom. We refer back to this book ALL year – check it out!
I ask them 2 questions
Is anyone being hurt?
Is any property being damaged(broken)?
If their answer is a no, then it is considered a tattle.
I stick to this. I teach them that someone calling you a name can hurt your feelings, but it is not physically hurting you, that you can walk away or chose to ignore them.
When I was teaching a Pre-K class a few years ago, I had a lot of tattling going on. I finally put a picture of the president on our wall near the Library Center. And this is what I told the children: “The President of the United States handles a lot of situations. He would love to hear your stories.” We would talk about what a tattle was and things that were important to tell the teachers. After a few times of me saying “Tell the President” to children who ran up to me to tattle… they got the idea. 🙂
We have been having a big issue with tattling in our grade level lately. The students and I are constantly having conversations about when it is appropriate to tattle. They are only allowed to tell on someone if: that person is hurting someone or damaging something.
I have created a box where my students can leave me notes or just express their feelings. They either tell me about something that they heard or saw, or just wants to talk to me!
I also encourage my students to use their journals to express their thoughts!
I also do the “Tell the President” idea with my first graders. I have a picture of our President and I also have a picture of our state Governor, so the children have the choice of telling the President or the Governor…such a wonderful idea. Before President Obama was in office, the children always forgot the name of the President so it was good for that. Now it is amazing how they all know who Barack Obama is even without this so I thought it would be a great way to learn the name of the state Governor as well. I think I have only had 3 children have to tell the President something this year (so far) so it really helps the children understand the difference between tattling and telling!!
I ask to the students:
Is someone hurt or going to get hurt?
(sometimes I am more dramatic depending on the age, asking if someone is bleeding, throwing up or dieing.)
For my second graders I use a tattle tale notebook where they can write a note to me about what is going on. I then read the note book after school to see if there is anything that I need to address.
The teacher I worked with during my first year of Kindergarten used to draw an ear on the white board and told the students to “tell it to the ear”. I was surprised at how many students lined up to tattle to the ear at various times throughout the year.