Donald Gately Ed.D.
Category Archives: Best Practice
My COVID Diary: The right amount of Hope
I got that feeling of optimism that you get every year on this day when it seems that winter might actually one day come to an end. But, this year it was different, I also began to feel that maybe the pandemic, along with its many restrictions on our lives, might one day come to an end. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Things I never thought I’d do
Like skydiving, I might’ve said, “I’m not doing that.”
But, like skydiving, I’m doing that.
So, yeah, you’re doing that.
My COVID 19 Diary: Are you all in?
Regardless of the approach to reopening at your school, you need to commit yourself to your purpose. In my school I am privileged to work with the most amazing staff who are possessed of an unflinching clarity of purpose. They know that our role as educators is to nurture the learning and well-being of our kids, to love them so that they know they belong and that we are their champions. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Writing. What works for me.
Avoid letting other tasks infringe upon them. If you’ve got kids, and writing takes place best when they are napping, do that. It’s unfortunate that the same machine that I use to write is also capable of delivering Twitter, Facebook, and Voxer. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Is it a snow day? “I don’t know”
Even before social media, a rumor like this would travel around my school in about eight minutes. You’d hear a collective cheer raised by the entire student body. But this doesn’t happen because I possess years of experience with “Snow Day Stone Face.” I really should play more poker, but I don’t allow gambling in the lunchroom. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: What you don’t know
When you are a school leader or any kind of leader, you must recognize that there are times when the only appropriate answer to a question is, “I don’t know.” At times of crisis such as we are experiencing now, this is ever more critical. Folks are willing to give you trust based on the accuracy of the information you relay, yet providing accurate information has never been more challenging. Continue reading
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My COVID-19 Diary: Advice for parents of adolescents and teens
f you’re like me, you are probably wondering, “Am I doing this right?” This question applies to my professional life as well as my personal life. Without the normal face to face daily interaction, I typically enjoy with multitudes of people, I need to check in on myself as an educator and as a parent. So I thought I would share some essentials with parents who may feel the same or are seeking advice at this crazy time. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Where does the time go?
I’ve been doing the math. Factoring in extra help, clubs and sports, our school day runs from 7:30 AM until 3:30 PM. That’s eight solid hours. So, if the typical student at our middle school is doing 3 1/2 hours of virtual school work, what the heck are they doing during the other 4 1/2 hours when they are inside our school building? Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Wednesday un-Focused
My son is a senior. The other day he told my wife, “I think my high school graduation is going to be on Roblox. I’m building my avatar.”
There is a science experiment going on in middle school lockers all over our country right now. What happens when ______ ( insert name of food item here ) is left to decay at room temperature in a narrow metal box for three months. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Goldilocks Tasks
In layman’s terms, this is often referred to as the Goldilocks Principle, not too hard, not too soft. Your nine-year-old is clearly not excited about cleaning that nasty area behind the toilet in your basement, a burden you’ve been putting off for months, and with good reason. The task should have a finite goal and be sufficiently challenging to take at minimum one hour and ideally an entire day, yes 24 hours! Continue reading
In the middle of learning - by Donald Gately Ed.D 
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