PMP412: The Principal’s Journey with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket

Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

A quick note to listeners:

Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered another listener question in a 5-minute response.

The question is: What would you say is the most high-leverage action new principals can take when they begin?

Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters!

Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket is a wife, mother, principal, public speaker, and author. With decades as a teacher and leader in public education, she has earned a reputation as a strong instructional leader, passionate educational advocate, and dedicated mentor. As the Principal of a top-ranked school in Maryland, she is a lifelong learner who strives for excellence not only for herself, but also for everyone she serves. Additionally, Dr. Edoho-Eket’s belief in fostering meaningful relationships serves as the foundation for everything she does, and her highly effective teaching and leadership style continues to inspire up and coming aspiring teacher leaders.

During her educational career, she has proudly served as a classroom teacher, instructional team leader, mentor teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal. Her book, The Principal’s Journey: Navigating the Path to School Leadership provides a helpful and practical blueprint for educators to follow as they transition into new leadership roles. Dr. Edoho-Eket holds degrees from Temple University, McDaniel College, and a doctorate from Trevecca Nazarene University.

From Athlete to Educational Leader:

Dr. Edoho-Eket’s background as an All-American athlete and her initial career start as a kindergarten teacher laid a strong foundation for her leadership path. Moreover, her active involvement in early childhood education eventually led to leadership opportunities, including the roles of assistant principal and principal.

Core Leadership Themes from Dr. Edoho-Eket:

• Mentorship: Dr. Edoho-Eket emphasizes the important role of mentorship in shaping leaders. She discusses the critical aspects of finding a mentor, engaging in meaningful conversations, and developing a relationship based on shared philosophies, honesty, and mutual value addition.
• Building Relationships: Highlighting the importance of relationships in achieving organizational goals, Rachel advocates for being a supportive presence, developing the capacity of fellow leaders, and implementing effective systems and logistics.
• Work-Life Balance: While reflecting on her own experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Edoho-Eket shares her journey towards seeking therapy, which shifted her approach towards flexibility and the importance of having options in both professional and personal life decisions.

Achieving School Excellence:

Additionally, she talks about the high achievement of her school as a result of personal connections within the community, including relying on qualified personnel for intervention and remediation, and a data-driven approach to improved student performance.

Parting Wisdom:

Concluding the interview, Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket shares her leadership philosophy with the principle that strong relationships are the bedrock of any successful endeavor.

Listen to the entire episode for more takeaways! Connect with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket on social media via Twitter @RachelEdohoEket or Instagram @the_principals_journey

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