Donald Gately Ed.D.
Category Archives: Personal Best
My COVID-19 Diary: Writing. Who are your buddies?
I never realized how much the mere presence of other people in my life pushed me to accomplish more and meet the expectations the world has for me. It’s not like people passed me on the street and said, “Hey you, get back to work!” It’s just that you felt the presence of humanity and responded to it. Continue reading
Posted in Personal Best, Reflections, relationships, Writing
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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: Friday un-Focused #6
We all have shining moments in our day. I love the notifications I get from Waze telling me how long it will take me to get to my next meeting if I leave the house now. “Scheduling meeting with Chad – Light Traffic – Leave now to be there in 27 minutes.” During quarantine, I arrive at this meeting sitting at my dining room table via Google Meet in 27 seconds. Continue reading
Posted in Personal Best, Random Thoughts, Reflections, Uncategorized
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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: Who are you “at home”
Some of us, working from home, with our families within arms reach, are now both our professional and personal selves under the same roof. Families are confronting the work lives of their spouses, dads, moms for the first time. The reverse is also true, many overworked professionals, are presenting to their families some version of themselves 24/7, and hoping it works. What to do? Continue reading
Posted in Parenting, Personal Best, Random Thoughts, Reflections, Uncategorized
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My COVID-19 Diary: What she says – A teen’s view of “remote school”
All educators miss the face-to-face contact we have with students every day in the school building. It’s about the learning but it’s also the constant feedback loop between kids and adults that tells us how we’re doing and also, how … Continue reading
Posted in learning, Personal Best, Teaching/Learning, Uncategorized
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My COVID-19 Diary: Friday un-Focused #4
My first job in the morning is to locate a Jericho sweatshirt or a T-shirt to wear during the morning announcements with Chad. For Danielle, it’s hair and all the other things. I try to tell her she’s just as beautiful in an East Williston T-shirt, no blow-drying unnecessary. But she punches me in the arm really hard. Continue reading
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: Culture outlasts quarantine
Somehow, given the magnitude of our current crisis, getting around to following up on a kid who took fries off another kids’ tray without asking, leading to some minor pushing, seems inconsequential. Continue reading
My COVID-19 Diary: Friday un-Focused #3
Do you know that Amazon Alexa has a “skill” (it’s like an app) for farts? Amazon claims it is the #1 App in the world. You would know this if you had high school age kids who’d finished their remote schoolwork and had already asked you 17 times, “When’s dinner?”. Continue reading
Posted in Personal Best, Random Thoughts, Reflections, Uncategorized
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In the middle of learning - by Donald Gately Ed.D 
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