Ester Rodrigues

BA (English/Portuguese, GradDip Teaching ECE, GradDip Teaching Primary, MEd

Position

Senior Lecturer

Teaching area

Bachelor of Education (Primary, Pasifika)

Biography

Ester’s career in education includes experience as an early childhood teacher, primary school teacher, teaching principalship, and school leadership.

Her professional journey has been shaped by work in diverse, rural, and remote communities. These experiences inform Ester’s teaching and research focus on educational leadership, pedagogy and curriculum, inclusion, and learning environments.

As an emerging researcher, Ester’s recent publications explore local curriculum implementation and leadership dynamics in remote and rural schools in New Zealand, with an emphasis on equity, wellbeing, and place-based practice.

Why I love MIT

MIT’s values align with the way I live and teach.

Caring for people while striving for high standards is central to my leadership and teaching philosophy. I am passionate about creating environments where students feel respected, supported, and challenged to be their best.

Publications

Rodrigues, E. (2025). Governance safeguarding principal wellbeing in rural schools. NZ Journal of Teachers’ Work, 22(2), 241–246.

Rodrigues‐Tiago, E. (2024). Navigating the Winds of Change: Local Curriculum on the Chatham Islands. NZJTW, 21(2), 170–174.

Research interests

Leadership, Educational Policies, Curriculum.

Award and grants

Chatham Island Tertiary Award –2023/2024. Granted scholarship to support the study of local curriculum implementation on the Chatham Islands and remote areas in NZ.