How a Google Form Tackled My Tattling Problem

I've been teaching elementary students for 7 years; therefore, I've heard every tattle in the book. In fact, I could write a book on the best, worst & most unbelievable tattles out there! If you teach elementary age kids, I'm sure you can feel my pain.

Last year, when I began fully integrating Google into my everyday instruction, I had a major

L I G H T B U L B 

moment! It dawned on me that I could use a Google Form to collect all of the tattles. The tattles would now have a home & that home was not the middle of my lesson or during my small group. Yes. This was going to change my classroom. One year later, this simple, trusty form is still the best at tackling the tattle problem.

If you haven't used Google Forms before, my sympathies go out to you. Google Forms is one of my all time favorite parts of the Google framework! (It is also one that I use most often.) I keep my tattling form || Which is more commonly & kindly known to my students as the "Class Meeting Concerns" form|| very SIMPLE. The main purpose of this form is to give my students an outlet to share their concerns, issues & tattles in a quick & concise way. Below is a SAMPLE copy of my form: 

I know that many of you probably have implementation questions, SO, here is a little Q&A I've created to help motivate you to give this a try!

Q: How do you introduce the form?

A: I introduce the form at my weekly class meeting. I take one whole class meeting to show them the form, demonstrate how to use a shortened URL link to access the form & give each student a chance to visit the form.

Q: When are students able to access the form?

A: The basic ground rules are: Do not get up during direct instruction to access the form. Students can visit the form before school, during transition times, during stations, free-time, etc.

Q: How do you know when a student has entered a concern onto the form?

A: I have the "Notifications" for the form set to email me each time the form is completed. (I will demonstrate this in my tutorial below.)

Q: Can students access the form outside of school?

A: Certainly! If a student has a problem at the end of the day, or one that is bothering them after they have left the building, they can just visit the shortened URL at home to share their concern.

Q: Can you use this form to help gather data?

A: You betcha! The possibilities of Google Forms are almost endless! I love being able to look at the data graphs to see where most of the student issues & concerns are taking place.

Q: Has this REALLY had that big of an impact on your tattling troubles?

A: ABSOLUTELY!! If a student attempts to tattle (which becomes more rare throughout the year) I just redirect them to the Class Meeting Concerns site! It's a lifesaver :)

If you're thinking, "Wow! This sounds like it may help with my terrible tattling troubles!", then watch the 2 short tutorials below to learn how to set up your very own Classroom Concerns Google Form!

Step 1: Setting Up Your Form

Step 2: Completing the Form & Viewing Data

There you have it, the form that has changed my classroom behavior for the better! Tattling is no longer a topic of conversation & students know that their troubles & concerns are being looked into. My Classroom Concerns form has created a Win-Win situation in my classroom :)

I would L O V E to hear your feedback! Please leave your questions in the comments section below.