Choosing the Right Coping Strategy
CONCEPTUALUnderstand that different situations require different coping strategies — what works for anger might not work for sadness, and what helps at school might be different from what helps at home
Mastery Evidence
- Name at least two different coping strategies and explain when each one is most useful
- Choose an appropriate strategy based on the specific situation and emotion
- Reflect on a time a strategy didn't work and explain what they might try instead
Assessment Prompt
“Can [child] recognise that when they're angry they need to do something physical like walk around, but when they're worried they need to talk it through — rather than using the same approach for every difficult feeling?”
Curriculum Standards1 alignment
PSPE-ID-CU-P2-7IB PYP Personal, Social and Physical Education (PSPE) Scope and Sequencecodes onlyPrerequisites3
- Vocabulary: resilience and selfhardAges 7—10
- Simple Calming StrategieshardAges 5—7
- How Emotions Feel in Your BodysoftAges 7—9
Show full prerequisite tree
- Vocabulary: resilience and self hard
Distinguishing different coping strategies requires the vocabulary of regulation, triggers, and distress
- Simple Calming Strategies hard
Different coping strategies builds on knowing basic calming strategies
- Naming Basic Emotions soft
Calming strategies benefit from naming the emotion you're trying to manage
- Words for Big Feelings hard
Calming strategies (calm, breathe, settle) rely on knowing this vocabulary to name and apply the techniques
- How Emotions Feel in Your Body soft
Choosing coping strategies benefits from reading body-emotion signals
- Triggers and Causes of Feelings hard
Body-emotion connection builds on understanding emotional triggers
Unlocks2
- Good Stress and Bad StresshardAges 11—12
- Resilience and Bouncing BackhardAges 9—11