Tattling
Technique:
Tattling has the power to sabotage discipline. It is self-reinforcing
for some teachers since it gives them inside information. This allows
the teacher to feel ‘more powerful’ and may give them a false sense of
being an authority figure.
Procedures: This is a behavior that is self reinforcing for children
because it is a way of being in the know’, feeling ’better’ than others,
getting special time and attention from the teacher. It is usually a habit
that is learned in early childhood, which adds to the difficulty of curbing
it. This little bud of a plant, capable of blooming and going to seed,
has its roots in social conscience. It grows rather nicely with the addition
of a little envy, personal guilt or jealousy. It becomes an internal message
that sounds like I Am better than. . . . . . . . I thought !!!!
. . . .They
are!!!!
Obviously, this is a marvelous, self rewarding "life" which can
grow to unsightly proportions. Moral Conscience is good, and self valuing
is good, and reducing is good, and re-enforcing proper action is good, and
stopping rule breakers is good, so what is wrong?
It is poor practice because:
It has self
aggrandizement as the primary motive.
It reduces guilt without reducing the original actions that created guilt.
It increases the tattling student’s self-image by demeaning others.
It halts personal growth and the student’s moral development.
It reduces trust and thus inhibits cohesion in the learning community.
Discourage tale carrying:
- Teach
or review conflict resolution practices.
- Ask the
student to consider how s/he is personally concerned with the matter
and solicit reflection about how the student could assist the other
rather than involving additional people in the concern. "How could
you help?" "What might you do to assist him?"
- Work
with individual students on socialization skills and help them to make
friends and find peers who value and accept them.
Encourage the honor system:
- As a
class, review distinctions about what needs to be told to adults:
- Behaviors
and practices that endanger someone
- Illegal
activities; assault, drugs, sexual acting out, weapon possession
- Personal
attacks or threats of attacks
- Find
ways to use a silent witness’ method so that students will not be singled
out and harassed or ostracized.
Once you
have completed this topic you should:
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