Derek’s blog

Derek’s Blog, launched in 2003, serves as a platform for sharing thoughts and reflections related to his work. It offers over 20 years of searchable posts, categorized by the tags below. Feel free to comment, as your feedback contributes to ongoing reflection and future posts.

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Beyond the Ballot Box

November 4, 2026

Twelve challenges the next government cannot ignore Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system is at a defining moment. There is understandable urgency around lifting achievement, strengthening foundational learning and ensuring young […]

Educational Transformation Learning Ecosystems Learning Environments Open, Distance & Flexible Education Pedagogy

Distance education: from the fringe to the foundation?

October 29, 2026

Distance education used to be the thing we did when the “real” thing couldn’t happen. It was a patch for the small rural school that couldn’t staff a senior physics […]

Educational Transformation Pedagogy

Purpose before policy

October 28, 2026

What is education for? I’ve written this post after discussions with a number of educators and parents as we head into this year’s election. It’s easy to become fixated on […]

Diary entry Educational Transformation Open, Distance & Flexible Education

The Future of Distance Education: From Competition to Collaboration

October 22, 2026

What does it take to ensure every learner in Aotearoa New Zealand has access to the education they need and deserve, wherever they live and whatever their circumstances? This was […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Know where the levers are

October 19, 2026

Reflections on what the four FLANZ keynotes taught me about the scale of change, and why it matters for educators right now Having had more time to reflect on the […]

conference entry Digital Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learner Agency

Who gets a say in the AI conversation?

October 14, 2026

By the final keynote at FLANZ 2026 in Dunedin, a pattern had emerged. Adrian Woodhouse opened the conference by asking who owns the learning. Mark Nicholls’ Blendagogy framework left me […]

conference entry Digital Educational Transformation Learner Agency Open, Distance & Flexible Education

What if the frustration is the point?

October 12, 2026

What a pastry cook’s classroom can teach us about AI, effort and learner agency The second keynote at the FLANZ conference in Dunedin was given by Selena Chan who began […]

conference entry Educational Transformation Learner Agency Open, Distance & Flexible Education Pedagogy

Blendagogy, and who’s in the driver’s seat

October 9, 2026

Reflections on Dr Mark Nicholls’ opening keynote, day two of FLANZ 2026, Dunedin The second day of the FLANZ conference here in Dunedin opened with Dr Mark Nicholls, president of […]

conference entry Digital New Measures of Success

Who owns the learning?

October 8, 2026

This week I have been enjoying attending the biennial FLANZ conference being held at the Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin. The open keynote speaker on Wednesday morning was Adrian Woodhouse who […]

Educational Transformation

The sludge that holds us back

October 5, 2026

I spent the last week helping a good friend prepare his house for sale. He’s downsizing, which meant facing the inevitable task that comes with moving to a smaller home: […]

Curriculum Educational Transformation Pedagogy

Foundations to Futures: Rethinking Literacy for Tomorrow’s Learners

September 30, 2026

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to give a presentation to the online conference held by the New Zealand Literacy Association, my topic being Foundations to Futures: Rethinking Literacy […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learner Agency Learning Environments

Step Outside. See Differently. Lead Differently.

September 27, 2026

Reflections from an Australian educators’ immersion tour of schools in Aotearoa There is something powerful about stepping outside of what’s familiar to us. When we spend our days immersed in […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learning Ecosystems Learning Environments Pedagogy

Designing a bolder future for education

September 24, 2026

What might we learn from the beacons that are already showing us what a different future for education could look like? In my latest podcast in the series of ‘conversations […]

Digital Education Leadership News & current events

Signal, noise, and the children in our classrooms: Part 3 – It isn’t about us

September 23, 2026

What are we deciding about children this term, and how have we asked them? My first two posts in this series were about how we read the noise and what […]

Digital Education Leadership News & current events

Signal, noise, and the children in our classrooms: Part 2 – Watch what governments do

September 22, 2026

Where does education sit in your local candidates’ positions on AI? Have you asked? In my first post, I suggested a way of reading the headlines: ask what has actually […]

Digital Education Leadership News & current events

Signal, noise, and the children in our classrooms: Part 1 – Reading the headlines

September 21, 2026

Think of the last AI headline you reacted to. What had anyone actually committed to, and how would you know? Over the past week I’ve been increasingly concerned about the […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learning Ecosystems

Building school around people, place and possibility

September 17, 2026

It seems appropriate that in Te Wiki o te Reo Māori I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Bianca Elkington and Kathleen O’Hare about the establishment of Kura […]

Curriculum Digital Educational Transformation

Reclaiming Education as a Common Good

September 15, 2026

If education simply mirrors the dominant values of society, it will reproduce them. If education is to help create a different future, schools must become places where young people experience […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Like riding a bike

September 5, 2026

Learning to ride a bike was pretty much a right of passage when I was growing up. In a time before there were SUVs transporting kids to school or sports […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learner Agency New Measures of Success

An education for each

September 2, 2026

It’s not often I come across an education leader who is working in two different parts of the education system – but my guest in the latest episode of my […]

Please get in touch to discuss your plans. FutureMakers is an approved provider of Ministry-funded, regionally allocated professional development (RAPLD). Search for Derek Wenmoth on the MoE website’s provider list when making an application.

What others say

The Learning Environments Australasia Executive Committee has received a lot of positive feedback, which is greatly due to your wealth of knowledge and information you imparted on our large audience, your presentation has inspired a range of educators, architects and facility planners and for this we are grateful.

Daniel Smith Chair Learning Environments Australasia

Derek and Maurie complement each other well and have the same drive and passion for a future education system that is so worthwhile being part of. Their presentation and facilitation is at the same time friendly and personal while still incredibly professional. I am truly grateful to have had this experience alongside amazing passionate educators and am inspired to re visit all aspects of my leadership. I have a renewed passion for our work as educational leaders.

Karyn Gray Principal, Raphael House Rudolf Steiner

I was in desperate need of a programme like this. This gave me the opportunity to participate in a transformative journey of professional learning and wellbeing, where I rediscovered my passion, reignited my purpose, and reconnected with my vision for leading in education. Together, we got to nurture not just academic excellence, but also the holistic wellbeing of our school communities. Because when we thrive, so does the entire educational ecosystem.

Tara Quinney Principal, St Peter's College, Gore

Refresh, Reconnect, Refocus is the perfect title for this professional development. It does just that. A fantastic retreat, space to think, relax and start to reconnect. Derek and Maurie deliver a balance of knowledge and questioning that gives you time to think about your leadership and where to next. Both facilitators have the experience, understanding, connection and passion for education, this has inspired me to really look at the why for me!

Jan McDonald Principal, Birkdale North School

Engaged, passionate, well informed facilitators who seamlessly worked together to deliver and outstanding programme of thought provoking leadership learning.

Dyane Stokes Principal, Paparoa Street School

A useful and timely call to action. A great chance to slow down, reflect on what really drives you, and refocus on how to get there. Wonderful conversations, great connections, positive pathways forward.

Ursula Cunningham Principal, Amesbury School

RRR is a standout for quality professional learning for Principals. Having been an education PLD junkie for 40 years I have never before attended a programme that has challenged me as much because of its rigor, has satisfied me as much because of its depth or excited me as much because of realising my capacity to lead change. Derek and Maurie are truly inspiring pedagogical, authentic leadership experts who generously and expertly share their passion, wisdom and skills to help Principal's to focus on what is important in schools and be the best leader they can be.

Cindy Sullivan Principal, Kaipara College

Derek Wenmoth is brilliant. Derek connects powerful ideas forecasting the future of learning to re-imagine education and create resources for future-focused practices and policies to drive change. His work provides guidance and tools for shifting to new learning ecosystems through innovations with a focus on purpose, equity, learner agency, and lifelong learning. His work is comprehensive and brings together research and best practices to advance the future of teaching and learning. His passion, commitment to innovation for equity and the range of practical, policy and strategic advice are exceptional.

Susan Patrick, CEO, Aurora Institute

I asked Derek to work with our teachers to reenergise our team back into our journey towards our vision after the two years of being in and out of 'Covid-ness'. Teachers reported positively about the day with Derek, commenting on how affirmed they felt that our vision is future focused. Teachers expressed excitement with their new learning towards the vision, and I've noticed a palpable energy since the day. Derek also started preparing our thinking for hybrid learning, helping us all to feel a sense of creativity rather than uncertainty. The leadership team is keen to see him return!

Kate Christie | Principal | Cashmere Ave School

Derek has supported, informed and inspired a core group of our teachers to be effective leads in our college for NPDL. Derek’s PLD is expertly targeted to our needs.

Marion Lumley | Deputy Principal |Ōtaki College

What a task we set Derek - to facilitate a shared vision and strategy with our Board and the professional and admin teams (14 of us), during a Covid lockdown, using online technology. Derek’s expertise, skilled questioning, strategic facilitation and humour enabled us to work with creative energy for 6 hours using a range of well-timed online activities. He kept us focussed on creating and achieving a shared understanding of our future strategic plan. Derek’s future focussed skills combined with an understanding of strategy and the education sector made our follow up conversations invaluable. Furthermore, we will definitely look to engage Derek for future strategic planning work.

Sue Vaealiki, Chair of Stonefields Collaborative Trust

Our Principal PLG has worked with Derek several times now, and will continue to do so. Derek is essentially a master facilitator/mentor...bringing the right level of challenge, new ideas & research to deepen your thinking, but it comes with the level of support needed to feel engaged, enriched and empowered after working with him.

Gareth Sinton, Principal, Douglas Park School

Derek is a highly knowledgeable and inspirational professional learning provider that has been guiding our staff in the development of New Pedagogies’ for Deep Learning. His ability to gauge where staff are at and use this to guide next steps has been critical in seeing staff buy into this processes and have a strong desire to build in their professional practice.

Andy Fraser, Principal, Otaki College