Teacher told not to use gendered language

[Pregante]

In a teaching observation this month my department head noted as a point for improvement that I should try not to use gendered language when addressing the class. I use boys & girls or ladies & gents depending on the age of the students. She advised this was in order not to potentially offend any trans children. She also mentioned this to some of my other colleagues and gave them the same advice.

I care about my students and would never humiliate anyone. Is this just the norm now? What do I use instead?

I say "folks" or refer to their year group. It's not a "pandering" to the trans thing but rather something I've done for over 20 years.

Thank you.

Re: the use of "they".

I did a distance learning management course with Northern College (Aberdeen) in the late '90s and received a style sheet instructing me to use "they/their" in coursework...but only where I was referring to hypothetical situations, etc.

Previously, I would have written "When a pupil has difficulty with his or her work..." Instead, I had to write "When a pupil has difficulty with their work..."

When writing about an actual person, there was no demand that we use a gender neutral possessive pronoun.