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Across the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the expression “sixseven” during instruction in the latest internet-inspired craze to sweep across classrooms.

Although some teachers have chosen to calmly disregard the phenomenon, others have embraced it. A group of educators explain how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

During September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade class about getting ready for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an hint at an offensive subject, or that they detected an element of my pronunciation that sounded funny. Slightly annoyed – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be malicious – I asked them to explain. To be honest, the description they provided didn’t provide greater understanding – I still had minimal understanding.

What could have caused it to be especially amusing was the weighing-up motion I had performed during speaking. I later found out that this typically pairs with ““67”: I meant it to assist in expressing the act of me thinking aloud.

In order to eliminate it I try to bring it up as frequently as I can. No strategy diminishes a phenomenon like this more emphatically than an teacher trying to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Being aware of it aids so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the numerical sequence is unpreventable, having a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and standards on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any additional interruption, but I rarely needed to implement that. Rules are one thing, but if learners buy into what the educational institution is practicing, they’ll be less distracted by the online trends (particularly in class periods).

With 67, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an infrequent raised eyebrow and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide attention to it, then it becomes a blaze. I treat it in the same way I would manage any other interruption.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme trend a previous period, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze after this. It’s what kids do. During my own youth, it was performing comedy characters mimicry (admittedly away from the learning space).

Students are spontaneous, and I think it falls to the teacher to respond in a way that redirects them in the direction of the course that will get them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is coming out with academic achievements rather than a disciplinary record lengthy for the utilization of arbitrary digits.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students use it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they possess. In my view it has any specific significance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. No matter what the current trend is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my classroom, however – it triggers a reminder if they exclaim it – identical to any additional verbal interruption is. It’s notably difficult in mathematics classes. But my class at year 5 are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively accepting of the guidelines, whereas I recognize that at secondary [school] it may be a distinct scenario.

I have worked as a educator for fifteen years, and such trends continue for three or four weeks. This craze will die out soon – it invariably occurs, notably once their junior family members start saying it and it’s no longer fashionable. Then they’ll be focused on the subsequent trend.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a language institute. It was mostly young men saying it. I instructed teenagers and it was widespread within the junior students. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really exist as much in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the board in instruction, so students were less prepared to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, trying to empathise with them and understand that it is just youth culture. I think they just want to feel that sense of togetherness and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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