"Dear Tattling Turtle,
My homework is killing me."
"Dear Tattling Turtle,
I stole the calculator."
I never realized how much impact a stuffed turtle would have on the effect of my students. It all started a couple weeks earlier, when I approached a couple of friends of mine who I met down here, all three of them teachers in the area. I explained how my students, who range from Kindergarden to High School, have been having issues with tattling. Everything they do to each other is told to me in a tattling tone. "She kicked me" or "He is peeking at my homework!" (when there is a six year age difference between them). After listening to me, one of them, a second grade teacher, told me about the Tattling Turtle. She explained that you purchase a stuffed turtle, write down a poem and then provide a resource for the students to express themselves in.
"Meet Tattling Turtle
Dear Students,
Tattling Turtle will listen to you,
When you have something to say.
Just talk to him or write it down,
And tell what happened today.
But if you or anyone else is hurt,
Please do not delay.
Come to me so I can help,
And make sure you're okay.
Your Teacher, Miss Kristine"
The first day sparked a very interesting situation. Two of my more eager and very loud students discovered the turtle-at the same time. These students don't really get along, and have been asked to come in for Homework Help at different times. However, not this particular day, the sign-up sheet was messed up and they ended up coming in at the same time. The usual arguments started, and they tattled to me. I explained about the turtle and the kids went crazy. I received 15 notes saying things such as "He is so mean!" and "She is so bossy!" I used it as a teaching moment and told the students how they could approach each other when they have issues. I also explained the difference between tattling and telling. The students then each read the poem aloud to me (working on their reading skills) and then they read their notes aloud to each other. I was going to have them tell each other why it bothered them when one did something wrong when one of the students had to leave.
The next day, I came in hoping the Tattling Turtle would have a better effect on the students. After the day before, I wasn't expecting too much. But the older boys, who tend to bully the younger students, found it interesting. They wrote five notes while in the room. One of the students even tattled on himself-something I found very humorous. As I watched the Tattling Turtle come alive to the students, I noticed they were writing more and more. And reading-because they loved reading their notes aloud to the tattling turtle, hoping the student they were writing about was listening. We are still working on approaching a situation we are unhappy about in the correct way- "I felt unhappy when you stole the book I was reading because…." but I feel the Tattling Turtle is helping me to make a lot of progress.
