John Murphy

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Sports

Position: Lecturer in Physical Education

“My job is focused on preparing students for the challenges involved in teaching PE to Irish adolescents. PE has never been more important as we are more aware of both the physical and mental health benefits. Physical activity levels are at an all-time low while mental health issues are on the rise. We can provide students with an opportunity to enhance their experiences of physical activity with a view to increasing their activity for the future.”

About John Murphy

I have been a PE teacher for 10 years mixed between an all-girls school and more recently in a mixed school. I have coached a number of sports, mainly GAA, across all levels and provide a lot of Coach CPD for both the GAA and Sport Ireland. I completed my PhD on the associations between physical activity and mental health in adolescents. The knowledge and experience gained throughout this journey have highlighted the importance of enjoyment during physical activity experiences and how we can benefit students in a number of ways through high-quality PE teaching.

John’s Teaching Philosophy

My approach to teaching is based on engaging students in the key topics being taught. I like to employ a practical teaching style where possible and prefer to facilitate learning across the group instead of a largely didactic approach. I get the most excited about teaching topics that I see have an immediate impact on the wider physical activity and the sporting world such as coaching through games, coaching teenage girls, and developing life skills through physical activity.

The current PE landscape values far more than the execution of physical skills but includes the holistic development of the whole person. PE teachers play a huge role in developing students physically, emotionally and mentally, therefore must be equipped with the skills required to do this in a manner that is both enjoyable for the students and also the teachers themselves.

Qualifications