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

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 […]

Digital Learner Agency News & current events Pedagogy

When the Technology Is Everywhere

August 26, 2026

The purpose of education isn’t to create young people who can behave well when the technology is removed. It is to develop young people who can behave wisely when the […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

The conversation yet to come

August 20, 2026

This morning I sat down with A Vision for Education in Aotearoa New Zealand, the report Dr Claire Coleman has written on behalf of the Aotearoa Educators’ Collective, a group […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

The ideologies shaping our classrooms

August 18, 2026

Much of my work over the past few years has been in support of school leadership teams and boards of trustees as they review and develop their strategic plans. Typically, […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Why do schools lose their capacity to learn pt.4

August 15, 2026

This is the fourth and final post in a four-part series exploring why schools lose their capacity to learn. In the first post in this series, I asked why schools […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Why do schools lose their capacity to learn? pt.3

August 11, 2026

This is the third in a four-part series exploring why schools lose their capacity to learn. In the first post, I explored a pattern I’ve watched play out again and […]

Digital

Keeping Our Kids Safe Online

August 8, 2026

The Conversation We’re Not Having: Why Every Educator Needs to Hear This One Here’s the latest episode in the podcast series: Conversations on the Future of Education. This one features […]

Open, Distance & Flexible Education research and papers

Taking the pulse of DE in New Zealand Schools

August 6, 2026

I’m pleased to announce the release of Tuia Te Hononga Tāngata, Tuia Te Hononga Ao: Taking the Pulse of Distance Learning in Aotearoa New Zealand – 2025 Abbreviated Edition that I have […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Why do schools lose their capacity to learn? pt.2

August 3, 2026

This is the second in a four-part series exploring why schools lose their capacity to learn. In the first post, I explored a pattern I’ve watched play out again and […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Why Do Schools Lose Their Capacity to Learn?

July 29, 2026

This is the first of a four-part series exploring why a number of the innovative schools I’ve worked alongside or observed over the past two decades gradually drift back toward […]

Where do you even begin with an AI policy for your school?

July 20, 2026

Where do you start when your Board asks for an AI policy? These are conversations I’m having more regularly now with school leaders across Aotearoa. There is a growing recognition […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learner Agency New Measures of Success Pedagogy

Why child-centred learning isn’t the ‘soft’ option

July 8, 2026

In my latest podcast conversation with Dr Sarah Aiono she describes taking a teacher by the arm and asking them to “melt into the wall” of their own classroom, inviting […]

Digital Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Evidence is no match for ideology

July 2, 2026

What happens when 44 years of hard-won educational wisdom collides with the current moment? You get one of the most provocative, refreshing, and urgently necessary conversations I’ve had in a […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

When the urgent drowns out the important

June 30, 2026

I’ve just been reading through the newly released findings from NZCER’s 2025 National Survey of Secondary Schools – a survey of 106 secondary principals across Aotearoa conducted between October 2025 […]

Digital Pedagogy

Our kids are at risk!

June 22, 2026

Last week I was speaking at the Hawkes Bay Primary Principals Association conference about the work I’ve been doing with the 2026 Education Environment Scan. At the event I had […]

Default

Education Leadership Educational Transformation New Measures of Success Pedagogy

Moving from performance to learning

June 21, 2026

Here’s ten minutes of viewing that I think every New Zealand educator, principal, and policymaker should make time for. Farida Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education, […]

Beyond the personalisation debate

June 20, 2026

During the past week I read a post by Daisy Christodoulou titled Why personalising education based on student interests doesn’t work, which got me thinking about the current state of […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

A tale of two stadiums

June 16, 2026

Earlier this week I heard a friend of mine speaking to a group of people about his experience of change and a lesson he’d learned from attending a game of […]

Digital Learner Agency Pedagogy

Screens, Learning, and Getting the Balance Right

June 10, 2026

This week I was asked to speak with the SLT group in a local school who are wrestling with the issues being raised in their community around the use of […]

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