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Throughout the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during instruction in the newest meme-based trend to sweep across classrooms.

Although some instructors have chosen to patiently overlook the craze, different educators have embraced it. A group of instructors explain how they’re dealing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Back in September, I had been addressing my year 11 tutor group about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It took me completely by surprise.

My first thought was that I had created an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they’d heard something in my accent that seemed humorous. Slightly annoyed – but truly interested and conscious that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I persuaded them to clarify. Frankly speaking, the explanation they offered failed to create greater understanding – I remained with no idea.

What might have caused it to be especially amusing was the evaluating movement I had performed during speaking. I have since learned that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I meant it to help convey the act of me speaking my mind.

In order to eliminate it I try to bring it up as often as I can. Nothing deflates a phenomenon like this more effectively than an adult striving to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it assists so that you can prevent just blundering into remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 million jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is unavoidable, maintaining a strong student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any different disturbance, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Guidelines are one thing, but if pupils embrace what the educational institution is implementing, they will become less distracted by the internet crazes (especially in instructional hours).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, except for an infrequent quizzical look and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give focus on it, it transforms into a blaze. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any different interruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 trend a previous period, and there will no doubt be a different trend following this. That’s children’s behavior. When I was youth, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impersonations (admittedly outside the learning space).

Students are spontaneous, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a way that steers them back to the course that will get them where they need to go, which, with luck, is completing their studies with qualifications as opposed to a behaviour list lengthy for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children use it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: one says it and the others respond to indicate they’re part of the same group. It’s like a verbal exchange or a football chant – an common expression they use. 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 want to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they call it out – just like any different verbal interruption is. It’s notably challenging in maths lessons. But my pupils at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re fairly compliant with the rules, although I understand that at teen education it could be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and these phenomena last for a month or so. This craze will fade away in the near future – they always do, notably once their younger siblings start saying it and it stops being trendy. Then they’ll be on to the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was primarily boys uttering it. I taught teenagers and it was prevalent within the younger pupils. I didn’t understand its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in lessons, so pupils were less prepared to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or sometimes I will smile with the students if I accidentally say it, attempting to empathise with them and recognize that it’s simply pop culture. I think they just want to enjoy that sensation of community and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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