Date of Award
8-2016
Document Type
Action Research Project
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education, Montessori
First Advisor
Syneva Barrett
Department/School
Montessori Early Childhood
Abstract
I investigated the effect of introducing cooperative games during recess to reduce aggressive behaviors in preschool-age children. The action research was done at an intentionally culturally and socio-economically diverse Montessori school in St. Paul, Minnesota. The 23 children involved were all children from the three to six age group who take daily naps. I recorded every aggressive incident I saw before, during, and after the intervention. I also recorded what cooperative activities I introduced for the intervention. Once before and after the intervention I asked the children if they enjoyed recess. I recorded observational notes such as weather conditions, and what activities the children chose each day. The data did not show that the cooperative games had a significant effect on the number of aggressive incidents recorded. Many more boys than girls were involved in aggressive incidents. There was no significant change in how the children reported their enjoyment of recess. Aggressive behavior could possibly be reduced through another action research project with a longer intervention period, a conflict resolution plan, and more purposeful activities for the children outside.
Recommended Citation
Beardsly Schoenherr, Kristin R.. (2016). Cooperative Activities to Reduce Aggression in Young Children. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/172