Message from President Cordelia Anthony
Dear Members, I am always so happy to see you all after the summer. There’s nothing like committed educators ready to do the work to engage students and support their educational growth and well being. I am finding that when I get around to different buildings so far this month, most people either feel like that this month is moving really quickly or that they never got off the hamster wheel from last school year. I hear the voices directly or indirectly of members feeling overwhelmed, micromanaged, and plain exhausted. I remind you that although so much is expected of you, it is essential that you get rest. You cannot pour into others when your well is dry. Rest when you can before your body makes you take a rest you don’t expect. “So many of us walk through our days feeling tired and overwhelmed thanks to our nonstop schedules. It’s easy to think that getting a little more sleep is the answer to our fatigue, but true rest actually goes beyond catching those extra hours of shut eye. In her book Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith shares her seven favorite types of rest, and each serves a unique purpose”. Rest does not look the same for every person but I saw somewhere (probably social media) that there are 7 types of rest you can take. They are physical, mental, emotional, sensory, creative, social, and spiritual. I encourage you to explore the type of rest that you need as often as you can.
Lastly, I just wanted to do a check in and remind you that you have resources and can reach out at any time with a gripe, a grievance, or something else that we can assist you with or just listen as you talk it out. Your state union also has lots of member benefits and I’ve listed a few important ones below.
Lastly just a reminder to try and support our PTA and SEPTA units. They appreciate you taking the time to become a supporter!
