if they are old enough to write

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Home : 2004 : November : 13

if they are old enough to write
By sj

Tattling seems to be less fun if you have to go to the trouble to write it down! It's also less rewarding when you don't get to see the kid you're tattling on get into trouble! So, one good way is to have the tattler write
out (insist on a detailed narrative that includes quotes, etc) a story of what happened and place it in a designated place for the teacher only to read. This gives kids a chance to tell things that really need to be told--like telling you about the bully without the bully hearing you tell!, and takes the thrill out of being the class "policeman/tattler". I usually tell the kids that

I will deal with the matter after I have had time to read and think about it, and that they may never know what I did about it because I will probably handle it privately with the involved party. My experience is that the more attention you pay to tattling the more tattling you get!