Teaching Them
Who to Tattle To

The important issue, when dealing with telling tales in class, is to help students understand not when to report or what to report. The critical information involves who to report to. We must help children learn to report to the right person.

The Right Person
When a child reports to you that a classmate was passing rubbing alcohol around on the bus and asking students to sniff it, he is reporting to the right person. If a child tells you her friend got sick in the bathroom, she is reporting to the person who most needs to hear the report.

The Wrong Person
If a student reports to you that another student won't give him a turn on the swing, he has reported to the wrong person. Your job here is to help him find the correct person to report to, and to teach him how to do it effectively.

Children will tattle. See it as an opportunity to help your students learn about the importance of reporting to the right person.

Source: Tattle Tales

09/14/2010