The Effects of Purposeful Work, Structured Play, and Leadership Meetings on Aggressive and Destructive Behaviors

The purpose of this research was to examine whether purposeful work, structured play, and student led leadership meetings would decrease aggressive and destructive behaviors occurring in a school’s outdoor spaces. This study incorporated student leadership meetings, structured games, and outdoor purposeful works. This seven-week study involved 30 children between the ages of 2.5 and six years in a private Montessori school in a suburban area. An analysis of results revealed that when new purposeful works were introduced aggressive behaviors would temporarily increase, then decrease for a two to three week period of time, and eventually return to the starting level