December Without A Wind-down: My Two Recent Learning Journeys

December is usually thought of as a slower month. A time to wind down, wrap things up, and mentally switch to January mode. Well, not quite for me.

Instead of easing off, I decided to lean in and complete two substantial learning programmes that, in very different ways, speak directly to how I think about education, leadership, and professional responsibility today. One was firmly rooted in language education and classroom practice. The other came from a global management consultancy, but turned out to be just as relevant to my academic and teaching work.

What links them is a shared concern with people: how they learn, how they feel included, how they communicate, and how they navigate complexity.

Inclusion: Creating a Sense of Belonging in Class (iTDi)

The first programme was a six-week course delivered by the International Teacher Development Institute and led by Ben Goldstein. I first met Ben years ago at a TESOL seminar, and I have long appreciated his rare ability to combine solid academic thinking with practical, classroom-ready insights. This course confirmed that impression once again.

Inclusion is a term that is frequently used, but not always unpacked. What this programme did particularly well was move beyond slogans and surface-level declarations. Instead, it asked difficult and necessary questions about who feels seen, heard, and safe in our classrooms, and why. It explored inclusion not as a fixed checklist, but as an ongoing, context-sensitive practice shaped by institutional constraints, learner identities, teacher beliefs, and everyday pedagogical choices.

What I valued most was the programme’s insistence on practicality. Each session translated theory into concrete classroom strategies, reflective tasks, and moments of pedagogical self-examination. Gender, sexuality, and broader questions of identity were addressed thoughtfully and without simplification, situating them within the realities of language teaching rather than abstract debate. For someone who has researched these issues academically for years, this bridge between research and practice was particularly meaningful.
Even though I could only attend one live session due to other commitments, the recorded materials and follow-up resources made it possible to engage fully with the course. Credit is due to the iTDi leadership team for designing a programme that genuinely supports deep, asynchronous learning.

McKinsey Forward Programme

Running in parallel was the McKinsey Forward programme, a ten-week online learning journey focused on future-ready skills. At first glance, this might seem far removed from applied linguistics or teacher education. In practice, it turned out to be surprisingly aligned.

The programme centres on a set of core capabilities: structured problem solving, adaptability and resilience, communication for impact, relationship-building, wellbeing, and navigating the digital world. What distinguishes it from many generic upskilling initiatives is its strong emphasis on reflection and behaviour change rather than content consumption alone.
The accompanying learning workbook played a crucial role here. It constantly pushed participants to slow down, interrogate their own habits, and articulate learning intentions. The focus on growth mindset, psychological safety, and purposeful communication resonated strongly with my own teaching philosophy and leadership practice. These are not abstract corporate buzzwords; they are skills that directly shape how we teach, collaborate, and lead in educational settings.

Completing the programme shortly after giving a talk on future-proofing careers in the GenAI era felt particularly apt. The Forward programme does not position technology as an end in itself, but as something that must be navigated thoughtfully, ethically, and with a strong sense of human agency.

Why this mattered to me

Taken together, these two learning experiences reinforced a conviction I hold strongly: professional development only makes sense when it is reflective, demanding, and connected to real practice. Whether we are talking about inclusive classrooms or future-facing careers, the underlying work is similar. It requires curiosity, humility, and a willingness to examine our own assumptions.

December, it turns out, was not a month of winding down at all. It was a month of recalibration, learning, and quiet but meaningful growth. And that feels like a rather good way to head into the year ahead.