Michael Fullan’s presentation focuses on system change through what he calls tri-level reform and the Six Secrets of Change that underlie successful reform.  The Six Secrets are based on experiences in large-scale education system reform, and, to reach their full impact, must involve schools, districts and the province.   Fullan’s overall goal is to raise the bar and close gaps to ensure life chances are given to all students.  Success can be measured in the public’s confidence in the public education system, and whether it remains the system of choice.

In this section, Michael Fullan introduces the premise of his presentation: that the importance of the moral purpose of education is giving life chances to all students, starting in early childhood.  To achieve equal life chances for all, Fullan says whole system reform is necessary, based on the Six Secrets of Change.  Fullan introduces the Six Secrets, and then unpacks them in the next sections.  

The first two of the Six Secrets are covered in this section. Love your employees: Fullan says that increasing the morale of teachers is a balancing act with putting students first; results improve when the two go together. Connect peers with purpose: Fullan says when teachers are connected with their peers, they learn from each other, and benefit the whole system.

In Fullan’s discussion of capacity building, he says that increasing the effectiveness of a group to accomplish something that they wouldn’t have accomplished before is more effective than succeeding alone. Learning is the work: to improve learning, it must be built into the culture, with a commitment to improvement.

Fullan says that being transparent about results and practice is desirable to achieve classroom improvement.   Systems Learn: the sixth Secret of Change has two parts to it.   Leadership must be collaborative for continuity of good direction, and leaders must be both humble and confident in the face of complexity.  

After addressing questions from conference sites (original broadcast), Fullan expands on his presentation, including a discussion on the role of principals, and how the Six Secrets reinforce each other.   He then moves onto the next phase of reform – early childhood – and a discussion on the importance of ongoing teacher education.