What are "dittos" when it comes to teaching children?

Question

I am a little confused to the definition of a "ditto" when it comes to children.. My teacher said not to use dittos when it comes to making my resource file. Is writing your abc's on the childrens sized lined paper a ditto?

Answer 1

Ditto is a very old way of making copies. You had to make a special "master" and then run it through the ditto machine.

What you got out the other side was a bunch of monochrome, purplish copies that (1) were often so faint they couldn't be read and (2) were sniffed by the kids to get high, if they were fresh enough. Kids also ended up with purple fingers.

If the teacher is really old, he or she may still use the term "ditto" to mean a copy (photocopy, I assume). Even as photocopiers came on the scene, the term ditto stuck around for a while.

Of course, he/she may literally mean a ditto machine copy. Since I have no idea what your resource file is or would be used for, I can't tell you what the teacher meant.

Answer 2

Ahhhh you show your age.  The above poster is correct - ditto is the "old school" version of what are now usually called "handouts" or "worksheets" or even "copies"

When I first started teaching when I called a handout a "ditto" and  my students looked at me like I was nutso! (and I was only 24 at the time).

What your instructor probably means is that children should be engaged in activities that are not what a lot of instructors consider  "busy work" copied from a teacher's resource book (or even sometimes created by you and copied).  (unless she means literally don't use the old purple dittos because the don't copy well).

She probably wants you to come up with activities (as dittos are easy to find anywhere).  Now is the time to create activities that are more "hands" on then sitting by themselves with a worksheet.  Making a Bingo game would usually be considered okay, even though you would have to make copies.

Most instructors want their education students to take the time now to create orignial activities or research engaging activities and not just make copies from a black-line master book from a teacher store (there will be plenty of time for that once you get a job :) )  

Writing ABCs on lined paper is not technically a ditto, however, it sounds like your instructor wants you to be a bit more creative.

There are games and activities you can use at:

http://atozteacherstuff.com/pages/106.sh...

http://www.dltk-teach.com/alphabuddies/i...

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/alphabe...

http://www.alphabet-soup.net/alphabite.h...

(just do a search for "activities for learning alphabet")

Good Luck

Answer 3

Dittos refer to pre-made worksheets for the children to complete.  They are something that have base information on them, and the kids need to finish, for example something like matching, or filling in blanks, you remember doing all of those in school right?.  

Having them write on blank paper that just has lines on it is not a ditto.  This exercise is allowing the children to write and complete the tasks themselves, which is something that dittos don't really do, which is why your teacher does not want you to use them.

If you're still unsure of what she means, just ask her for some more clarification as well, she should be there and willing to help!

Answer 4

ditto is the term used long ago for copied worksheets

writing on paper is not a ditto

Answer 5

a copy is a ditto

Answer 6

A ditto is any sheet or activity that formaly tells a child what they should do.  At the preschool age children who are formaly instructed in sit down and write ABCs activities burn out and develop a negative view of education.  I am aware that some schools do use dittos aka. worksheets.  

But as the study that came out yesterday showed

Poor Behavior Is Linked to Time in Day Care

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/us/26c...

Basicly the earlier we push children into sit down formal education the more resentful they become of education.  That will result in Behavior problems later in life.  It sounds like your childs teacher is well versed in child development and has a play based learning environment.  Where children learn through play and a carefully structured environment that helps children learn through doing and discussing.  You should count yourself  and your child as lucky.  

If your child(and not you) is showing an interest in writing letters, you should encourage you childs teacher to have a writing center with Letter cards your child can mimic, if they choose to do so.  But your child's teacher is actually doing the best thing for your child.  Good quality teachers are few and far between these days.  There are more teachers pushing ABC dittos and sit down "assigments" or "Tasks" as they are more likely call them,  Than there are teachers like your's who do true play based curriculum.  I can not even  begin to tell you how lucky you are.

Answer 7

it's a worksheet that you just run copies of and hand to the kids that have no real educational value

Answer 8

ditto is like a worksheet

Answer 9

"Dittos" are what you just put around that word.  You know how when someone says something and you agree but don't want to repeat it, so you say, "Ditto."  Well, in writing, its the same way.  For example:

My favorite food is macaroni and cheese.

"         "          "     " cheese.

It's like saying 'ditto' for certain words, only in writing.  You don't really use it in formal writing though, only notes and sometimes homework to save time. :)  Hope this helps!