How to stop kindergarteners from constantly tattling?
Kindergarteners interrupt independent work every couple of minutes to report minor grievances like name-calling, touching items, and petty remarks. This constant stream of interruptions makes it impossible to manage the classroom or keep independent work time running smoothly.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
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How to stop kindergarteners from constantly tattling?
- 1Talking things through with the students and asking them to talk to each other themselvesDid this help you?
- 2Switching to level 0 working conditionsDid this help you?
- 3Teaching students 'how to give a bug and a wish'Did this help you?
- 4Using a tattle box for written notesDid this help you?
- 5Using a desk closed sign to prevent students from approachingDid this help you?
- 6Using an organizer on the board with different modesDid this help you?
- 7Yelling out reminders to keep hands to themselvesDid this help you?
- 8Playing the 'mind your business' song (MYOB by Mr. Mike) from YouTubeDid this help you?
- 9Using alternative phrasing like 'You do your job', 'What does that have to do with you?', or 'Not your circus, not your monkeys'Did this help you?
- 10Teaching concepts from SEL curriculum such as the circle of control, big versus small problems, and the difference between tattling and tellingDid this help you?
- 11Directly pointing out to students that they are interrupting the lesson by snitchingDid this help you?
- 12Setting clear boundaries on tolerated behaviorDid this help you?
- 13Working hard to build a relationship despite the annoyanceDid this help you?
- 14Ignoring the student and pretending they are not there unless they ask for helpDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I feel so bad. I have tried so hard to like a particular student. But she just drives me crazy and annoys me. I’ve never even felt this way about a student before.”source ↗
“What’s worse is that she is a SPED student and I feel like an absolute piece of shit for feeling the way I do about her.”source ↗
“She isn’t necessarily a behavioral issue. Isn’t disrespectful. Just annoys me.”source ↗
“I feel like a mean, heartless bitch, but I don’t know how else to put it.”source ↗
“I am a first year kindergarten teacher and I am dealing with a huge tattling problem! Whenever I send them to do independent work, they are constantly coming up to desk “___ said poop” “_____ said my name weird” “______ isin’t doing what there supposed to do” The most annoying to me is “____ said a bad word!” and the word is nothing close to a bad word!”source ↗
“what do they expect me to do when every two minutes it’s, “This kid hit my arm!” “That kid pushed me!” “He won’t stop touching my stuff!””source ↗
“Like kid, idk what to tell you. Maybe you should walk away??”source ↗
“On Friday, I had to ask this of a 7th grader who felt it was important to tell me that another student was reading 🙄.”source ↗
“I HATE when they call out something I haven't even noticed right in the middle of my teaching.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 54How to handle disrespectful student micro-aggressions and boundary-crossing
- 2How to handle a clingy and manipulative student
- 27How to stop classroom interruptions from photo and video documentation
- 5How to handle a child who constantly demands attention and talks nonstop?
- 3Why do walkie-talkies keep interrupting class all day?
- 6What to do when students mock your appearance