🔗 Share this article

Across the UK, students have been calling out the expression “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired phenomenon to take over educational institutions.

Whereas some educators have opted to calmly disregard the trend, others have embraced it. Five instructors share how they’re managing.

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

During September, I had been speaking with my secondary school tutor group about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It surprised me totally off guard.

My initial reaction was that I had created an hint at something rude, or that they perceived a quality in my speech pattern that sounded funny. Slightly frustrated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they had no intention of being malicious – I persuaded them to explain. Honestly, the description they provided didn’t provide significant clarification – I remained with no idea.

What might have rendered it extra funny was the weighing-up movement I had made while speaking. Subsequently I discovered that this frequently goes with ““67”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me thinking aloud.

To end the trend I aim to reference it as frequently as I can. Nothing diminishes a trend like this more emphatically than an teacher trying to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it aids so that you can prevent just unintentionally stating statements like “indeed, there were 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is unavoidable, having a strong student discipline system and standards on student conduct is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any additional disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Guidelines are one thing, but if learners embrace what the school is practicing, they will remain less distracted by the online trends (at least in class periods).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an occasional raised eyebrow and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide oxygen to it, it transforms into a wildfire. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would manage any different disruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 craze a while back, and there will no doubt be a new phenomenon after this. That’s children’s behavior. During my own youth, it was performing comedy characters mimicry (admittedly out of the school environment).

Young people are spontaneous, and In my opinion it falls to the teacher to behave in a manner that redirects them toward the direction that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with certificates rather than a disciplinary record lengthy for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

The children employ it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to show they are the equivalent circle. It’s like a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an agreed language they share. In my view it has any specific significance to them; they simply understand it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, however – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – identical to any additional verbal interruption is. It’s especially difficult in maths lessons. But my students at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re quite adherent to the guidelines, while I understand that at high school it may be a different matter.

I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and these crazes last for three or four weeks. This craze will diminish soon – this consistently happens, particularly once their junior family members commence repeating it and it stops being fashionable. Then they’ll be focused on the following phenomenon.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was primarily young men saying it. I taught teenagers and it was common within the less experienced learners. I was unaware its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was just a meme comparable to when I attended classes.

These trends are always shifting. “Skibidi toilet” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really exist as much in the classroom. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the whiteboard in class, so students were less prepared to adopt it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I unintentionally utter it, attempting to empathise with them and understand that it’s simply youth culture. I think they just want to enjoy that sensation of togetherness and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

I have performed the {job|profession