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Around the UK, students have been calling out the expression “sixseven” during lessons in the latest internet-inspired trend to spread through educational institutions.

Whereas some educators have decided to stoically ignore the craze, others have accepted it. A group of teachers share how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade class about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in relation to, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an hint at an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived an element of my speech pattern that appeared amusing. Slightly exasperated – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be malicious – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the description they then gave didn’t provide greater understanding – I remained with minimal understanding.

What might have rendered it especially amusing was the evaluating gesture I had made while speaking. I later learned that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to assist in expressing the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to kill it off I aim to reference it as often as I can. No approach diminishes a phenomenon like this more effectively than an teacher striving to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it assists so that you can steer clear of just blundering into statements like “well, there were 6, 7 hundred unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is unpreventable, having a strong school behaviour policy and standards on pupil behavior really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any other interruption, but I rarely been required to take that action. Rules are necessary, but if students accept what the learning environment is practicing, they will remain less distracted by the online trends (especially in lesson time).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, aside from an occasional eyebrow raise and stating ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide oxygen to it, it transforms into a wildfire. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any additional disturbance.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a few years ago, and undoubtedly there will emerge a new phenomenon subsequently. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was childhood, it was doing Kevin and Perry impressions (admittedly away from the school environment).

Young people are unpredictable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to behave in a approach that guides them in the direction of the path that will get them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with certificates as opposed to a behaviour list lengthy for the use of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners utilize it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: one says it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an agreed language they possess. I don’t think it has any specific importance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my teaching space, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they shout it out – similar to any additional shouting out is. It’s especially difficult in maths lessons. But my pupils at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re relatively accepting of the guidelines, while I recognize that at high school it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a instructor for a decade and a half, and such trends persist for a few weeks. This trend will diminish soon – they always do, notably once their junior family members start saying it and it’s no longer fashionable. Then they’ll be focused on the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was primarily boys uttering it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent among the younger pupils. I was unaware what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was simply an internet trend similar 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 particularly exist as much in the classroom. Differing from ““67”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the board in class, so learners were less prepared to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to relate to them and recognize that it’s simply pop culture. I think they just want to enjoy that sensation of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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