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Insight from a School Psychologist: An Interview with Caitlin Murphy

This blog article was written by SportsAbility Alliance Sports Management Intern, Sean Munroe.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Caitlin Murphy.  Murphy is a school psychologist for Thomas County Schools in Georgia.  The following are questions related to her role, the benefits of recreation for people with developmental disabilities, and how to interact with people with disabilities.

"The greatest thing I have learned by being a school psychologist is patience. You never know what children are going through or struggling with."

- Caitlin Murphy 

Can you describe your role as a school psychologist and the responsibilities associated with the position?
Murphy: As a school psychologist, I work with children of all ages. I assess their strengths and weaknesses, and provide the school team with relevant information to inform their educational planning. I make suggestions for additional support available at school, whether that is through general education support or support through a Section 504 plan or IEP. 


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A Comprehensive and In-Depth Understanding of Special Olympics

SportsAbility Alliance and all our events are for people of all abilities. Athletes can choose to be as competitive, or not, as they would like, and everyone is able to participate! However, for those athletes looking for something a little more competitive, Special Olympics may be a good option to consider. Special Olympics offers many different sports and does have requirements in order to participate. Here is some more information!

Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies“Special Olympics is important, as it empowers and provides inclusion for special needs athletes. I learned a great deal about patience and will power from Special Olympics athletes, that I may have never experienced if not for Special Olympics,” said Special Olympics Coach Gladys Liehr. 

What is the Special Olympics?

Special Olympics is an international program that provides individuals with intellectual disabilities that are eight years or older access to year-round sports training and athletic competition in more than 20 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. Inaugurated in 1968, the Special Olympics was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee on February 15, 1988. International headquarters are in Washington, D.C.
By the early 21st century there were chapters in nearly 200 countries. More than one million athletes participate annually in some 20,000 meets and tournaments held worldwide, culminating in the international Special Olympics World Games every two years, alternating between winter and summer sports and each lasting for nine days.

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Importance of Physical Culture for Children

Children are introduced to physical culture from a very young age. From “Mommy & Me” infant movement classes, to youth recreational soccer leagues, to sibling rough-housing. Physical culture is key for healthy child growth. Children start to develop gross motor skills as early as four to five months old. Before kids learn to talk, they use physical gestures to communicate with others. They learn social cues and context first through body language and behavior. Children rely on bio-pedagogy teachings to understand how their body is an instrument for communication and activity. Even as children learn to communicate verbally, physical culture continues to guide how they interact with one another and the rest of society.

Child playing kickballSport is one method of teaching these crucial social skills. When part of a sports team, kids learn how to work together and rely on each other. Individually, they learn how to express themselves and their goals through the effort they apply to their physical activity.

Sport is one method of teaching these crucial social skills. When part of a sports team, kids learn how to work together and rely on each other. Individually, they learn how to express themselves and their goals through the effort they apply to their physical activity. Most importantly, children learn through sports that the physical cultural practices of society are contextually specific. Just as the skill set and etiquette required for golf are not the same as what is expected for football, different cultural settings require different physical behavior. The way children treat their peers in the classroom may not be how they treat their opponents on the soccer field. With physical culture as an aid, children can understand easier what behavior is appropriate in different social contexts.

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Physical Activity versus Exercise: How Much Do We Need?

We are often told that we need to exercise but are not told HOW to exercise. First off, let’s differentiate the difference between physical activity and exercise.  Physical activity is any bodily movement that occurs as a result of musculoskeletal contraction that ultimately increases energy expenditure.  This is a fancy way of saying that physical activity is an action that requires energy to perform. An exercise is a structured form of physical activity.  But let’s not get caught up in the jargon because both are one and the same and are important for our mental and physical health.  

Man in a wheelchair lifting a kettlebell weight above his headThe American Heart Association currently recommends that adults accumulate greater than or equal to 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week while children should get at least 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity weekly.

So, what exactly is moderate vs. vigorous activity? While everyone has different abilities, here are some different ideas to get those recommended “moderate” minutes as classified by the American Council on Exercise that can be adapted to functionality: chores that I push off until the weekend (washing windows, washing my car, cleaning the garage, sweeping/vacuuming), general carpentry, walking 3-5 mph,  mowing the lawn, slow room ball dancing with that special someone, fishing, sailing your boat, canoeing/kayaking (3-5 mph), gardening, leisure biking/stationary bike, leisure swimming (what you consider “easy”), table tennis, shooting hoops, non-competitive volleyball, and golfing!  

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