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Around the UK, learners have been shouting out the phrase ““six-seven” during lessons in the latest meme-based phenomenon to take over schools.

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

‘My initial assumption was that I’d uttered something offensive’

During September, I had been talking to my year 11 class about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in reference to, but I said something like “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. A bit annoyed – but genuinely curious and aware that they weren’t hurtful – I asked them to elaborate. Honestly, the explanation they then gave didn’t make significant clarification – I continued to have no idea.

What could have rendered it particularly humorous was the weighing-up motion I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I learned that this often accompanies ““67”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me speaking my mind.

In order to eliminate it I try to reference it as much as I can. Nothing reduces a trend like this more thoroughly than an teacher striving to participate.

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

Understanding it assists so that you can avoid just blundering into comments like “well, there were 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the numerical sequence is unpreventable, having a firm student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Policies are one thing, but if students embrace what the educational institution is doing, they will remain more focused by the internet crazes (particularly in class periods).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, aside from an infrequent quizzical look and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give oxygen to it, it transforms into an inferno. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any additional disruption.

There was the mathematical meme phenomenon a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge a new phenomenon subsequently. This is typical youth activity. When I was youth, it was performing Kevin and Perry impressions (truthfully away from the school environment).

Young people are unpredictable, and In my opinion it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a manner that redirects them back to the path that will get them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is graduating with certificates instead of a disciplinary record lengthy for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children employ it like a connecting expression in the recreation area: a pupil shouts it and the remaining students reply to show they are the identical community. It’s like a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an common expression they share. I believe it has any particular importance to them; they simply understand it’s a thing to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my teaching space, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they call it out – similar to any different shouting out is. It’s especially tricky in mathematics classes. But my pupils at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite adherent to the rules, while I understand that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, and these crazes continue for a few weeks. This craze will fade away soon – it invariably occurs, particularly once their younger siblings begin using it and it ceases to be cool. Afterward they shall be on to the subsequent trend.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mainly male students uttering it. I instructed teenagers and it was prevalent within the less experienced learners. I was unaware its significance at the time, but being twenty-four and I understood it was simply an internet trend similar to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from ““sixseven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not scribbled on the board in lessons, so pupils were less equipped to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to empathise with them and appreciate that it is just youth culture. I think they just want to enjoy that sensation of community and companionship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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