Finding My Place: The Use of Sociometric Choice and Sociodrama for Building Community in the School Classroom

Abstract

The case study concerns issues in a 4th grade public school classroom in Toronto, Canada, where certain children were being excluded, placed in an unpopular subgroup based on physical attributes (hair color, weight, size, or skin color), alternative ways of thinking and behaving, or limited academic abilities. The authors used sociodramatic and sociometric techniques to reduce conflict and teach students to be more compassionate toward one another in the classroom environment. The results of the case study support using action sociodramatic and sociometric tools and providing students opportunities to practice and implement conflict resolution skills in the classroom.