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    Cambridge Personal Styles Questionnaire® (CPSQ) for teachers
    Competency: Coping with demands

    • Coping


      Let's start by thinking about what this term actually means.

      According to the Cambridge English Dictionary online, to cope means to ‘deal successfully with a difficult situation’

      For the purposes of your CPSQ report, teachers who demonstrate this competency have a positive attitude towards change, challenge and uncertainty.  They recover from difficulties and do not allow setbacks and negative reactions to undermine their teaching confidence.  They remain calm when faced with unexpected and stressful situations.  They have developed coping strategies to handle work pressure and find productive ways to relax and ‘switch off’ after a stressful day.

      Conversely, coping less well can mean that you have a tendency to worry about things and that you could be more sensitive to work pressures than other teachers.  You may find it challenging to remain positive in the face of problems and you might take time to recover from setbacks.

      If you are concerned that, by this definition, you are regularly not coping then you should speak to a close friend, family member or a colleague.

    • Reflective Questions


      Identify strategies to help you cope in different situations.



    • Create your persona


      How do you feel when you’re coping well with a situation? How do you feel when you’re not coping with a situation?

      Use the resources below to create your persona. You can drag the labels in the interactive graphic or download your own version.


    • Coping strategies


      Review the poster or download your own version - how might any of these strategies help you?


    • Coping Strategies
      Coping Strategies - click to view full screen

    • Goals


      Complete three goals. For each you need to consider what your goal is and why it is a goal. You then need to plan what steps or strategies you will use in the next week, month, and longer.

      You should think about your CPSQ report, the reflective questions, your persona, and the coping strategies you have focused on.

    • Goal review


      To review your goals, complete these review questions. You can use these for each of your goals, and complete them in any way that you wish - this may be part of a discussion, a personal review, or further notes.


    • Coping with demands