Respecting Every Learner — Finding Balance with Pronouns and Policies

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In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores how teachers can create inclusive classrooms by using neutral, professional language and respecting students’ chosen names and pronouns. Learn practical strategies for balancing policies, honoring identities, and building a learning community where every student feels seen, safe, and valued.

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Episode Transcript

UNKNOWN (00:00):
Bye.

SPEAKER_00 (00:12):
Welcome back to Let's Talk Teacher to Teacher.
Today's episode is all aboutsomething that's becoming
increasingly important in ourschools.
Respecting every learner for whothey are.
If you're a teacher, you'veprobably noticed the shift away
from using gendered languagelike boys and girls.

(00:33):
For some students, those wordssimply don't fit who they are.
And that can be really confusingto navigate at first.
As educators we just want to getit this right.
We want to be inclusive and ofcourse we want to be respectful
while also following thesepolicies and honoring each
student's identity.

(00:53):
At the true heart of it all, ourgoal is simple.
It's to build a learningcommunity where everyone feels
safe, seen, and truly valued.
When we use language thatwelcomes every student, we
create a space where they canfocus on what really matters.
Learning, growing, and Let'stalk a little bit more about why

(01:17):
language matters.
Language shapes the way studentssee themselves and how they feel
they belong.
When we say boys and girls, itmight feel harmless, but for
students who don't identify witheither label, it can create a
quiet sense of exclusion.
Instead, more teachers arechoosing gender-neutral group

(01:41):
addresses, things like friends,friends, scholars, readers,
scientists, team, or even justeveryone.
These words focus on whatstudents can do and who they are
as learners and not theirgender.
While words like friends andscholars are generally safe and

(02:03):
welcoming as well, it'simportant to be really super
conscious and intentional aboutthe language we choose because
terms like brother or sisterwhile meant to be friendly, can
carry personal, cultural, orgendered meanings that may not
apply to every student.
And they can come across asoverly informal or even

(02:25):
unprofessional in a schoolsetting.
So choosing neutral classroomappropriate words helps ensure
that all students feel respectedwithout assumptions about their
identity or even theirrelationships.
Let's talk a little bit aboutbalancing pronouns and policies.
Of course, finding the rightbalance means respecting both

(02:46):
individual identity and schoolor district policies.
So here are a few steps to helpyou navigate through this
carefully, consciously, andprofessionally.
First, learn your school'spolicies on names and pronouns
so you know what's expected andsupported.
Next, ask privately, neverpublicly.

(03:08):
If you're unsure about astudent's pronouns, have a
respectful a one-on-oneconversation or check their
student information if it's beenupdated.
And of course, the third one ismodel respect.
Use each student's chosen nameand pronouns consistently.
If you make a mistake, correctit and quickly move on without

(03:28):
making it a big moment.
Again, all of these things aregoing to be based upon your
school district policies.
Offering neutral alternativeswhen speaking to groups like
friends, class, or learners.
is also a great option toutilize so no one feels singled
out.

(03:50):
Building a respectful culture isanother aspect that is highly
important.
So at the heart of this is asimple truth.
Students learn best when theyfeel respected.
By being intentional with ourwords, we're telling students,
you matter, you belong here, allof you.
So folks, honestly, it's notabout erasing gender or taking a

(04:13):
stance on personal beliefs inthis matter.
It's really about making spacefor everyone.
And that's something everysingle student deserves at any
age and grade level.
Choosing inclusive terms likefriends, learners, and scholars
can really just be a supersimple, respectful way to

(04:34):
address the whole class withoutsingling anyone out.
So thanks for joining me todayon Let Let's talk teacher to
teacher and remember a small,simple change in language can
make a big difference in astudent's world.
Let's keep building classroomsthat honor every single learner.
Until next time.