In our latest PSHE lesson, we have explored the different types of pressure we might experience, both spoken and unspoken. Through a thought-provoking video and discussion, we identified how pressure can come in many forms, from the expectation to act or look a certain way to feeling pushed towards decisions we do not want to make.
We considered the difference between good pressure, such as encouragement from family to eat healthily, and bad pressure, which can negatively affect our wellbeing. Working in small groups, we then took on different roles in scenarios to demonstrate various types of pressure. Some of the scenarios we saw were children being unkind to others and making them feel left out, or as if they had to act a certain way based on their favourite football teams or even how they danced at parties! We saw children feel inclined to buy certain items based on ‘peer pressure’ and even children trying to convince others to behave in disrespectful ways! When we were told to ‘freeze’, the class had the opportunity to discuss what we had seen within the drama piece. We had to consider the pressures that were there and discussed strategies to cope with them.
Finally, we spoke about some top tips for resisting pressure, including taking time out, talking to someone we trust, focusing on our strengths, and remembering that pressure is often temporary.
What strategies might you use to cope with pressure?
