A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue

One of the most significant benefits of a one campus school setting is the opportunity for high school students to serve as positive role models for their younger peers. Members of the Marcellus Senior High School Girls Empowerment Group visited K.C. Heffernan Elementary School 1st grade classes to read the children’s book “A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue” by Julia Cook and Anita Dufalla. The high school girls, under the guidance of faculty advisors Lisa Hitchcock, Megan Auge, and Bethany Woods, read the meaningful story and generated insightful discussion into the issue of tattling. The story provided the girls with a humorous and creative way of addressing the issue of classroom tattling. The unique children’s book follows the exploits of Josh, “No one likes Josh because he tattles too much… But one night he wakes up to find his tongue is very long, yellow, and covered with bright yellow spots.” Girls Empowerment Group members Natalie Block, Allison Kent, Mallory Quinn, Keirstalyn Wade, Meghan Weeks, and Danielle Merritt were able to generate discussion and share the four (4) rules for dealing with the issue of tattling:

Rule #1 – Be a Danger Ranger: If a person or animal is in trouble then you must tell someone.
Rule #2 – Be a Problem Solver: Get involved and try to help solve the problem.
Rule #3 – Now or Later: Is the problem a “now” problem or can it be solved “later”.
Rule #4 – MYOB: If the problem is not dangerous and doesn’t involve you then don’t tattle, “Mind Your Own Business.”

The Marcellus Senior High School Girls Empowerment organization is a service learning focused group dedicated to enhancing the climate of giving/caring in the Marcellus Schools educational community. Previously this school year the girls have made bandanas for the American Cancer Society and rang the bell for the Salvation Army.