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Throughout the UK, school pupils have been calling out the expression ““six-seven” during instruction in the latest internet-inspired phenomenon to spread through educational institutions.

Although some educators have decided to calmly disregard the trend, others have incorporated it. Five educators explain how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been talking to my year 11 students about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in relation to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I had created an hint at an offensive subject, or that they detected something in my speech pattern that sounded funny. A bit annoyed – but honestly intrigued and aware that they had no intention of being mean – I persuaded them to clarify. To be honest, the clarification they offered didn’t provide much difference – I remained with minimal understanding.

What possibly caused it to be especially amusing was the considering gesture I had executed while speaking. I later found out that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the act of me speaking my mind.

In order to kill it off I attempt to mention it as often as I can. No approach diminishes a phenomenon like this more thoroughly than an grown-up trying to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it aids so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating comments like “indeed, there were 6, 7 hundred unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unpreventable, having a rock-solid student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any other interruption, but I’ve not really needed to implement that. Guidelines are necessary, but if learners embrace what the learning environment is doing, they will remain more focused by the online trends (especially in instructional hours).

Concerning 67, I haven’t lost any teaching periods, aside from an periodic raised eyebrow and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide focus on it, it transforms into a wildfire. I treat it in the same way I would manage any different interruption.

Previously existed the mathematical meme trend a few years ago, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze subsequently. This is typical youth activity. During my own childhood, it was performing television personalities impressions (admittedly out of the learning space).

Children are spontaneous, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to react in a manner that redirects them back to the path that will enable them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with certificates instead of a conduct report lengthy for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children employ it like a unifying phrase in the playground: a student calls it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It’s like a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an agreed language they use. In my view it has any particular significance to them; they simply understand it’s a thing to say. No matter what the current trend is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, however – it triggers a reminder if they exclaim it – similar to any other calling out is. It’s particularly difficult in maths lessons. But my class at fifth grade are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly compliant with the rules, while I understand that at high school it could be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a instructor for 15 years, and such trends persist for three or four weeks. This craze will fade away shortly – it invariably occurs, notably once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it’s no longer trendy. Afterward they shall be focused on the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a international school. It was primarily young men saying it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was common within the younger pupils. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was just a meme similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the classroom. Differing from ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in instruction, so pupils were less prepared to adopt it.

I typically overlook it, or sometimes I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they merely seek to feel that sense of togetherness and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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