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Around the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the expression “sixseven” during instruction in the newest viral craze to sweep across schools.

While some teachers have opted to patiently overlook the phenomenon, some have incorporated it. Several educators explain how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Back in September, I had been speaking with my secondary school tutor group about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in reference to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I’d made an reference to something rude, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that sounded funny. A bit frustrated – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be mean – I persuaded them to explain. Honestly, the explanation they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with little comprehension.

What could have rendered it especially amusing was the evaluating motion I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I discovered that this often accompanies ““67”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the process of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of eliminate it I try to mention it as often as I can. Nothing diminishes a phenomenon like this more thoroughly than an grown-up trying to get involved.

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

Understanding it helps so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making remarks like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is inevitable, maintaining a firm school behaviour policy and expectations on pupil behavior really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Policies are one thing, but if students accept what the school is doing, they will become more focused by the internet crazes (at least in lesson time).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t lost any lesson time, except for an occasional raised eyebrow and stating ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give oxygen to it, it evolves into an inferno. I treat it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any other interruption.

There was the mathematical meme trend a while back, and there will no doubt be a new phenomenon subsequently. That’s children’s behavior. Back when I was growing up, it was performing Kevin and Perry mimicry (admittedly away from the school environment).

Young people are spontaneous, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a approach that redirects them in the direction of the direction that will help them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is completing their studies with academic achievements as opposed to a behaviour list lengthy for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Students utilize it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: a pupil shouts it and the others respond to show they are the identical community. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an shared vocabulary they share. I believe it has any particular meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, however – it triggers a reminder if they exclaim it – identical to any additional shouting out is. It’s particularly difficult in numeracy instruction. But my students at year 5 are pre-teens, so they’re relatively accepting of the rules, while I appreciate that at high school it could be a separate situation.

I have served as a educator for a decade and a half, and such trends last for a few weeks. This craze will fade away shortly – this consistently happens, especially once their younger siblings start saying it and it ceases to be fashionable. Afterward they shall be engaged with the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was primarily young men repeating it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was prevalent within the younger pupils. I was unaware its significance at the time, but being twenty-four and I understood it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I attended classes.

These trends are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the learning environment. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the whiteboard in lessons, so learners were less prepared to pick up on it.

I just ignore it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I unintentionally utter it, striving to understand them and appreciate that it’s simply youth culture. I think they just want to experience that feeling of belonging and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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