🔗 Share this article

Throughout the UK, students have been shouting out the phrase “sixseven” during lessons in the newest meme-based trend to sweep across classrooms.

Whereas some teachers have decided to patiently overlook the craze, different educators have incorporated it. Several educators explain how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Back in September, I had been talking to my eleventh grade tutor group about preparing for their qualification tests in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It took me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I might have delivered an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they’d heard a quality in my accent that appeared amusing. A bit frustrated – but honestly intrigued and conscious that they weren’t trying to be malicious – I persuaded them to elaborate. Honestly, the clarification they provided didn’t provide greater understanding – I still had minimal understanding.

What possibly caused it to be particularly humorous was the weighing-up motion I had executed while speaking. Subsequently I learned that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I meant it to help convey the process of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of kill it off I aim to mention it as much as I can. Nothing deflates a trend like this more emphatically than an grown-up attempting to get involved.

‘If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno’

Understanding it aids so that you can steer clear of just blundering into statements like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is inevitable, having a strong classroom conduct rules and standards on pupil behavior really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any different disturbance, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Policies are necessary, but if pupils accept what the school is implementing, they will remain less distracted by the internet crazes (particularly in class periods).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, except for an periodic quizzical look and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give focus on it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any different interruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a few years ago, and there will no doubt be a different trend after this. That’s children’s behavior. When I was youth, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impressions (admittedly out of the school environment).

Students are spontaneous, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to respond in a way that redirects them back to the course that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is coming out with qualifications instead of a disciplinary record lengthy for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Students use it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: one says it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It resembles a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an agreed language they possess. In my view it has any particular significance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. Whatever the latest craze is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s banned in my classroom, however – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – identical to any different calling out is. It’s particularly difficult in numeracy instruction. But my pupils at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re relatively adherent to the guidelines, although I appreciate that at high school it may be a separate situation.

I have served as a educator for fifteen years, and these crazes continue for a month or so. This phenomenon will fade away shortly – it invariably occurs, particularly once their little brothers and sisters begin using it and it ceases to be fashionable. Afterward they shall be engaged with the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was mostly young men uttering it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was common with the junior students. I was unaware what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I understood it was just a meme similar to when I attended classes.

The crazes are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the classroom. In contrast to “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not scribbled on the board in class, so pupils were less equipped to adopt it.

I just ignore it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, striving to understand them and recognize that it is just pop culture. I think they just want to enjoy that sensation of community and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

I’ve done the {job|profession