In the upper elementary grades I have found that doing a class sociogram the first week of school provides a great deal of valuable information. Sociograms are not anything new. As a matter of fact, it was teacher, who has long since retired, that first introduced the concept to me.
By definition a sociogram is, “A graphic representation of social links that a person has. It is a graph drawing that plots the structure of interpersonal relations in a group situation.” When used in the classroom, a sociogram is so much more. It is a easy to use tool that gives a teacher insight into the ‘inner-workings’ or dynamic of the students within a class.
So what exactly does a sociogram reveal? Honestly, it is surprising all that a teacher can learn. The slides below describe all the information you can discover about your students. Take a look…
So how does it work? First, I give each student a sheet of lined paper and ask them to put their name on top. Next, I ask them to number 1 to 3. Once those steps are complete, I pose a question…such as : “Who are your three best friends in this classroom?” or “Which three classmates would you most like to work on a project with?” or “If you were having a problem, which three classmates would you feel most comfortable talking about it with?”
The question I choose, depends on what dynamic I am trying to learn more about. My first question above would focus on popularity. Second would focus on leadership/academic abilities. Third, compassion and character. Some years, I have actually asked more than one question because I wanted more information.
Once students have listed their choices, they turn their papers in. Remember this is done discreetly and not shared.
Once I have everyone’s paper, I begin organizing the data.
Using a blank sheet of paper, I draw a circle for each student. I write their names in the circles (one name per circle).
Then using the data they provided, I draw a line from the student to each of the three classmates they chose. At the end of the line I draw, I put an arrow on the end to show who chose who. If students choose each other, I simply put an arrow on both ends of the line to indicate they chose each other. Once all lines are drawn, I count how many times each student was chosen and write the number in the circle. I also do some color coding to indicate who was chosen 5 or more times, which students chose each other and who was not chose by any of their peers.
I use the data throughout the year to aid me in making seating charts, project groupings/pairings, etc. Most importantly, however, it gives me insight into who is struggling with peer interactions. This, in turn, allows me to help create opportunities for positive peer interactions. I repeat this activity midyear and at the end of the year. This allows me to monitor progress and note changes in dynamics.
