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.

Curriculum Educational Transformation Learner Agency

Why Dewey’s Vision Still Matters

September 28, 2025

A few weeks ago, my twin grandsons both gained their driver’s licenses – marking a milestone in their lives as they step towards adulthood. Watching them go through the process […]

Curriculum Education Leadership Educational Transformation

More Than Subjects: Why Trust Matters in Curriculum Change

September 11, 2025

When curriculum is reduced to a subject list, we miss the bigger story about purpose, assessment, and trust. Today I downloaded the Ministry of Education’s document outlining a new set […]

Educational Transformation New Measures of Success

Success for Whom? And at What Cost?

September 8, 2025

It was Father’s Day here in New Zealand yesterday, and I had the privilege of enjoying a family lunch together with my children and grandchildren. It’s an exciting time in […]

Educational Transformation

What Works May Hurt

September 6, 2025

Earlier this year I had the privilege of presenting at some conferences in Australia alongside Yong Zhao and have been thinking more recently about the warnings in his book titled: […]

Curriculum New Measures of Success

Why Narrowing New Zealand’s Curriculum Misses the Mark

September 4, 2025

As someone who enjoyed playing guitar in my earlier years I’ve always been fascinated with the work of world class guitarists – including Brian May. Not just because he’s the […]

Curriculum Learner Agency

Four Questions That Matter Most in Learning

August 28, 2025

Four simple questions that I’d hope any child in any class, at any level of the school, would be able to answer. Sadly, that’s not always the case. Too often, […]

Learner Agency

Beyond the Misconceptions: What Learner Agency Really Means

August 27, 2025

When I published my previous blog titled “The Power Shift: From Educational Equity to Ownership of Learning,” I was interested to see what sort of reaction might unfold. The feedback […]

Educational Transformation Learner Agency New Measures of Success

The Power Shift: From Educational Equity to Ownership of Learning

August 21, 2025

True educational equity requires more than inclusion – it demands a fundamental redistribution of learning agency. In my previous post I explained how I came to establish FutureMakers, and I […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learner Agency

From Change Fighters to Future Makers

August 16, 2025

What if we spent less time fighting change, and more time building what’s right for learners? I’ve been thinking about exhaustion lately – and patterns that repeat across generations. Over […]

Curriculum Educational Transformation New Measures of Success

Rethinking Assessment Beyond Economic Servitude

August 10, 2025

What kind of future are we really preparing our children for? And shouldn’t that future belong to all of them? The current furore over the proposal to replace NCEA with […]

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

Building an Integrated Education Ecosystem for Aotearoa’s Future

August 5, 2025

What if students could learn anytime, anywhere, with full support, equity, and agency? Over the past few years, Aotearoa New Zealand’s school sector has been stretched in ways few could […]

Education Leadership Learner Agency New Measures of Success

Connectedness, Hope, and the Role of Schools in a Fractured World

August 1, 2025

“I don’t think anyone would notice if I wasn’t here.” That’s a comment I overheard from a student in a school I visited recently. It broke my heart. And it’s […]

Environmental Learner Agency Learning Ecosystems

Learner Agency – Thinking Beyond Individualism

July 27, 2025

Beyond Unfettered Freedom: Why True Agency Requires Collective Responsibility A call for educators to embrace seven-generational thinking in developing learner agency When we think about learner agency in our schools, […]

Curriculum Education Leadership Educational Transformation Learner Agency Pedagogy

When Students Design Their Own Learning

July 21, 2025

Real Stories from a School in Colorado Watch the full video interview with Claudette and Kelly below to hear their inspiring journey with student agency. I recently had the opportunity […]

conference entry Educational Transformation

EdRising: a Movement not a Moment

July 10, 2025

I’ve just arrived home after a fabulous two-days in Auckland at the EdRising Convening. We had just over 100 education thought leaders coming together for two jam-packed days of inspiration […]

Curriculum Educational Transformation Learner Agency Pedagogy

Before We Change the Approach, We Need to Examine the Beliefs

June 28, 2025

Driving at 10-2 I grew up being taught that the correct way to hold a steering wheel was at 10 and 2. It was drilled into every young driver: left […]

Digital Educational Transformation

What Socrates Might Say About AI in Education?

June 23, 2025

“You have not discovered a potion for remembering, but for reminding…” Socrates I’ve had quite a bit of feedback in response to my last FutureMakers newsletter which featured a number […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation Pedagogy

Let’s get the balance right!

June 16, 2025

“Life is a tightrope walk. One has to balance the do’s and don’ts.” Haresh Sippy In this post: Throughout my career I’ve had various mentors and friends remind me of […]

Digital Educational Transformation New Measures of Success

We Need A New Plan

June 12, 2025

If you do nothing else this week I encourage you to take some time to watch this interview between Ezra Klein and Rebecca Winthrop on Educating Kids in the Age […]

Education Leadership Educational Transformation

Paramount Purpose of Education

May 28, 2025

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve spent time at conferences and in mentoring sessions with school leaders where a common thread in all of the conversations has linked back […]

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