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Around the UK, learners have been calling out the expression “sixseven” during classes in the latest internet-inspired trend to take over educational institutions.

Although some educators have decided to patiently overlook the trend, others have incorporated it. A group of instructors describe how they’re coping.

‘My initial assumption was that I’d uttered something offensive’

During September, I had been speaking with my secondary school students about studying for their qualification tests in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for grades six, seven …” and the whole class started chuckling. It took me totally off guard.

My first thought was that I had created an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they detected something in my speech pattern that seemed humorous. Slightly annoyed – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t malicious – I persuaded them to elaborate. To be honest, the explanation they provided didn’t provide greater understanding – I remained with no idea.

What could have rendered it particularly humorous was the weighing-up movement I had performed during speaking. I have since discovered that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I meant it to assist in expressing the action of me thinking aloud.

In order to eliminate it I aim to mention it as frequently as I can. No strategy deflates a trend like this more emphatically than an adult trying to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it assists so that you can avoid just blundering into comments like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is unavoidable, having a firm student discipline system and standards on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any different interruption, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Policies are necessary, but if pupils embrace what the school is practicing, they will become better concentrated by the viral phenomena (especially in instructional hours).

Concerning 67, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, other than for an occasional quizzical look and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide oxygen to it, it evolves into a blaze. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would manage any other disruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one trend a while back, and certainly there will appear another craze following this. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was growing up, it was performing television personalities mimicry (admittedly outside the classroom).

Children are unforeseeable, and In my opinion it’s an adult’s job to respond in a approach that guides them in the direction of the path that will get them toward their academic objectives, which, with luck, is completing their studies with certificates instead of a conduct report a mile long for the use of random numbers.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

The children use it like a connecting expression in the playground: one says it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an agreed language they share. In my view it has any distinct significance to them; they merely recognize it’s a trend to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they shout it out – just like any other shouting out is. It’s notably challenging in numeracy instruction. But my class at year 5 are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite compliant with the guidelines, although I recognize that at teen education it may be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a teacher for fifteen years, and these crazes persist for three or four weeks. This craze will diminish soon – it invariably occurs, especially once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it stops being cool. Afterward they shall be on to the subsequent trend.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was primarily boys uttering it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread within the less experienced learners. I was unaware its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I realised it was just a meme comparable to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon back when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the educational setting. In contrast to “six-seven”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the chalkboard in lessons, so learners were less equipped to adopt it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, striving to empathise with them and recognize that it’s merely youth culture. In my opinion they just want to experience that feeling of belonging and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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