Susan Trabant’s presentation on SOGI is something that resonated with me; more specifically, the importance of pronouns within a classroom caught my attention. Susan mentioned that instead of using the terms ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ or ‘he’ and ‘she’ we should use gender neutral terms such as ‘they’ and ‘them.’ This is essential because we cannot assume the identity of a child in a classroom based off of their appearance. As future teachers we need to be inclusive and understanding of all identities that can be present within a classroom.
In order to promote an inclusive environment, teachers needs to take ownership of the students in their classrooms. I believe that students with exceptionalities should not be separated from their classroom and their peers. With differentiated instruction everyone can be included in the learning. It is essential to create a lesson that is accessible to all students. As educators and professionals we need to prioritize inclusion as the school culture.