Running head: Tattling vs.

Telling Classroom Guidance

1

Tattling vs. Telling

Teaching the Difference Through Classroom Guidance

Miranda Arias, Anna Johnson, Nicole Simpson, and Alison Velchik

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

EDUC 714
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Introduction

Children from a young age turn to parents and teachers in an effort to solve problems

with which they may not feel adequately prepared to cope. While the intent may later be to get

another person in trouble, tattling stems from the desire to have someone step in and take care of

an issue with which the child does not feel competent. Instructing early elementary school

children during a classroom guidance lesson in determining whether something is a “tattle” or a

“tell” will not only benefit the classroom dynamic, as the teacher has fewer child-motivated

concerns with which to deal, but will also benefit each student as they develop a sense of

appropriate social interactions

Literature Review/Rationale

Dunn and Munn (1985) tell us that children as young as 14 months of age “tattle” to their

mothers, non-verbally even before they can speak, when they have a problem with a sibling. At

an early age, children recognize that they may not be able to solve problems on their own, but

that a parent will help them solve the conflicts they are having with a sibling. Tattling behavior

continues as children use parents, and later teachers, as a resource to deal with concerns for

which they feel ill-prepared to act. The implications of the deliberate tattle to elicit a response

from a parent or teacher suggest that children are making a conscious decision about what they

deem acceptable, and want siblings or classmates to get in trouble for deviating from their

accepted norms.

Older children tattle more than younger children, and Loke, Heyman, Forgie, McCarthy,

and Lee (2011) also found that children are more prone to tattle about physical harm and

property damage than about things they consider less harmful. Given that the occurrences of
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tattling behavior increases with age, but also become more focused on harmful behaviors,

conducting classroom guidance lessons in early elementary school will help children develop a

clear sense of appropriate times to share, and when it is best to keep information to oneself, or

share the information innocuously, for example with a “Tattle Monster” (Mariah, 2011),

Appendices A3-A4.

As it is seen throughout the literature, distinguishing when to tattle is an important skill

for children to learn as they develop problem-solving and emotional coping strategies. However,

it also benefits the teacher, as tattling accounts for a serious portion of class disruption in

elementary school (Gartrell, 2007). Teachers report concerns over classroom management and

their ability to both teach instructional material and manage students in a proactive manner. A

recent study found that teacher training programs do not allocate adequate time to teaching

effective classroom management skills, including with conflict resolution (Sawchuk, 2014). In

order to teach elementary school students, teachers must effectively manage conflict resolution,

emotional immaturity, and the lacking skills of solid reasoning typically seen in any elementary

classroom. Many teachers utilize strategies either ineffectively, or inconsistently, with reports of

as much as 25% of primary school teachers using inconsistent methods of classroom

management (Lopes & Santos, 2013).

Tattling has become an increasing concern for teachers struggling with classroom

management, as children will often choose to tell the teacher of an interpersonal conflict rather

than exert problem-solving capabilities to either cope with the behavior of their peers or resolve

the conflict autonomously. Recent studies have found the designation of a “tattle box” to be

highly beneficial for the students as well as the teachers, if the students are taught how to use it
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properly and how to understand the difference between something that is appropriate for the

‘tattle box’ and something that the teacher should be informed about (Galebach, Kapaun, Majors,

& Duggan, 1998). The tattle box would be a more appropriate option than having a designated

inanimate object (such as a person cutout, or a stuffed animal) to tell their “tattles” to, as it

allows for the teacher to read each concern that the child reports during a break and to address

any serious concerns that arise. The tattle box allows teachers to review all concerns which

would not be possible if students solely dictated them to a different classroom object.

Goals

In sharing a lesson on distinguishing between tattling vs telling with first graders,

students will learn, understand, and be able to demonstrate the difference between a “tattle” and

a “tell”, and the necessity of sharing each type. Specifically, a tattle can be kept to oneself or

shared with the Tattle Monster, while a tell is something that affects the health, safety, or

well-being of self, others, or property, and should be shared with a teacher or other adult.

Through a book, discussion, and practice, students will not only be able to differentiate between

what is a tattle and when to tell, they will get practice in identifying and dealing appropriately

with different situations that may arise.

Objectives

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

B-LS 1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to make informed decisions.

B-SS 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility

NC Guidance Essential Standards

EEE.C.2.2 Apply critical thinking skills systematically to solve problems and make decisions.
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Practical Considerations/Logistics

This classroom guidance lesson will take place in a first grade classroom and will last an

hour. The class will have 20 to 25 students, so it will be important to begin the lesson by

emphasizing that students follow the same classroom rules as they would with their teacher-that

of being respectful and attentive. The counselor will also have to consider the age of the students,

which could range from five years old to seven depending on the time of year, throughout the

lesson. There may need to be a few breaks dispersed throughout the lesson, in the form of a song

or fun activity, if the counselor senses that he/she is losing the attention of the classroom. Any

classroom can receive this classroom guidance, especially if a teacher requests for it, to help with

the classroom management of a classroom.

Procedures and Techniques

This classroom guidance lesson will implement a psychoeducational approach. Students

will become more aware of a topic, gain knowledge to fill in any educational deficits, and

practically enhance and build on already present skills. The leader will be responsible for

providing instruction and establishing a positive, learning-centered environment. They will also

provide tools to cope with the life topic of determining between what is a tattle and when to tell,

and focus on the enrichment of students’ cognitive, affective and behavioral skills. The

psychoeducational approach is appropriate from a developmental perspective and compatible

with a student’s educational experience in the classroom. Students will gain knowledge

alongside their peers through behavioral rehearsal and sharpening decision-making skills.

(Corey, Corey, & Corey, 2014)

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Multicultural Implications and Social Justice

Social justice is achieved because when students are not tattling, the teacher has more

time to focus on real issues faced by all students, including marginalized groups. Tattling crosses

cultural lines, and teaching students to find alternatives to tattling (i.e. keeping it to yourself or

telling the tattle monster) allows students from any culture to learn this important

decision-making skill. The literature has reported tattling can be seen across multiple cultures,

specifically in Japan and Mexico, though the reasoning for social justice or view of authority

figures may differ slightly (Chiu Loyke, Heyman, Itakura, Toriyama, & Lee, 2014; Bronstein,

1986). With tattling being a common behavior experienced by children across many different

cultures, it is important to address it within the school while also investigating the research that

suggests nuances within different cultures regarding the reasons for tattling and the expected

outcomes children may have.

Evaluating Behavioral Outcomes

At the beginning of the classroom guidance lesson, the counselor will ask the classroom

as a whole, by the raise of hands, who knows what a tattle is. Those who have raised their hands

will say what they think a tattle is. Then the counselor will ask the class what the difference

between a tattle and a tell is. Once again, the students who raised their hands share what they

believe is the answer. Lastly, the counselor will ask what things constitute “telling”. This will

function as a pre-evaluation. After the lesson, the same three questions will be asked, and this

will function as a post-test. Because the classroom guidance lesson is for first graders, and each

student’s level of reading and writing may differ, it would not be practical to give a written pre-
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post- evaluation to the students. Some students may not be able to read proficiently yet, or able

to write complete sentences explaining their thoughts on what a tattle is compared to a tell.
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References

Bronstein, P. (1986). Children’s social behavior: a cross-cultural comparison. ​International

Journal of Behavioral Development, 9(2​ ).

Chiu Loyke, I., Heyman, G., Itakura, S., Toriyama, R., & Lee, K. (2014). Japanese and

American children’s moral evaluations of reporting on transgressions. ​Developmental

Psychology, 50(​5), 1520-1531.

​ hattanooga, TN: National Center

Cook, Julia (2006, November 15). ​A bad case of tattle tongue. C

for Youth Issues.

Corey, M., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2014). ​Groups process and practice.​ (9th ed.) Belmont, CA:

Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

denBak, I. M., & Ross, H. S. (1996). I’m telling! The content, context, and consequences of

children’s tattling on their siblings. ​Social Development,​ ​5(​ 3), 292-309.

doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.1996.tb00087.x

Dunn, J. & Munn, P. (1985, April 1). Becoming a family member: family conflict and the

development of social understanding in the second year.​ Child Development, 56(​ 2),

480-492. doi:​10.2307/1129735

Galebach, V., Kapaun, S., Majors, S., & Duggan, M. (1998). Winning the tattle battle. ​Learning

27​(1).

Gartrell, D. (2007). Guidance Matters: Tattling, it drives teachers bonkers. ​Young Children on

​ ational Association for the Education of Young Children.

the Web, January. N

www.naeyc.org
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Loke, I. C., Heyman, G. D., Forgie, J., McCarthy, A., & Lee, K. (2011, November). Children’s

moral evaluations of reporting the transgressions of peers: age differences in evaluations

of tattling. ​Developmental Psychology 47​(6), 1757-1762. doi: 10.1037/a0025357

Lopes, J., & Santos, M. (2013). Teachers’ beliefs, teachers’ goals, and teachers’ classroom

management: a study with primary teachers.

Mariah (2011, August 22). ​Tattle Monster. ​Retrieved from

http://porch.com/gigglesgalore/tattle-monster/​.

Sawchuk, S. (2014). Study finds educator training lacking: “Training our future teachers:

Classroom management.” ​Education Week, Bethesda 33(1​ 5).

Witt, K. (2014). ​Telling vs. Tattling Sorting Cards.​ Retrieved from

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Telling-vs-Tattling-Sorting-Cards-127143

8​.
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Appendix A1
Lesson Plan

School Counselors: ​Alison, Anna, Miranda, Nicole Date: ​2017-2018

Activity: ​Classroom Guidance: Tattle vs. Tell
Grade(s):​ First Grade
ASCA and NCGES Student Standards:
B-LS 1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to make informed decisions.
B-SS 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility
EEE.C.2.2 Apply critical thinking skills systematically to solve problems and make decisions.
Learning Objectives:
1. ​Students will learn helpful strategies for when the desire to tattle arises, including some basic
problem-solving strategies to help them deal with interpersonal issues
2. ​Students will learn how to determine that something needs to be shared with an adult: when
the health or safety is someone is in danger
Materials: ​Book: “A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue” by Julia Cook, “Tattle Monster” box and
poster, “Tattling or Telling Task Cards”
Procedure:
● Students will participate in a verbal pre-evaluation.
● The counselor will then read “Tattle Tongue” and discuss with the class their reactions to
the book along with what they liked or did not like.
● The counselor will lead a discussion about the appropriate times a student should tell or
share information versus when information might be considered a “tattle”.
● Students will work with 1-3 other students to play “Tattling or Telling” sorting game.
● Students will be introduced to the “Tattle Monster” box and poster and have the
opportunity to practice and ask questions.
● Students will participate in a verbal post-evaluation.
Plan for Evaluation:
Process Data: ​Five classes of 20-25 first graders will participate in a 60-minute lesson on
tattling
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Perception Data: ​Pre- and post-evaluation questions will be used to determine how much
students know about what is a tattle, and when they should tell.
Outcome Data: ​None at this time
Follow Up: ​Check in with the teacher a couple weeks or a month after the lesson to see if the
number of interruptions to class-time teaching because of tattles has been reduced, check in with
the teacher on effectiveness of “tattle monster”
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Appendix A2

Telling vs Tattling sorting game

Please find complete document at

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6uaaaaSJfNzbDdwRFNVNGg0N1k/view?usp=sharing
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Appendix A3

Tattle Monster

Retrieved from ​http://porch.com/gigglesgalore/tattle-monster/

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Appendix A4

Tattle Monster Instructions for Students

Retrieved from http://porch.com/gigglesgalore/tattle-monster/