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Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the words “sixseven” during instruction in the most recent meme-based phenomenon to take over educational institutions.

Whereas some teachers have decided to calmly disregard the phenomenon, different educators have embraced it. Several teachers share how they’re managing.

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

Back in 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 words similar to “ … if you’re working to results six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I’d made an reference to something rude, or that they’d heard a quality in my accent that sounded funny. A bit frustrated – but truly interested and aware that they had no intention of being mean – I asked them to elaborate. Honestly, the explanation they provided didn’t provide significant clarification – I continued to have little comprehension.

What possibly caused it to be extra funny was the weighing-up gesture I had made while speaking. I later learned that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me speaking my mind.

To eliminate it I attempt to mention it as often as I can. No strategy reduces a phenomenon like this more thoroughly than an grown-up striving to get involved.

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

Understanding it aids so that you can steer clear of just blundering into remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a firm student discipline system and expectations on learner demeanor proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Guidelines are necessary, but if learners accept what the educational institution is doing, they will remain better concentrated by the internet crazes (at least in lesson time).

Regarding sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any lesson time, aside from an occasional eyebrow raise and saying ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. Should you offer focus on it, then it becomes a wildfire. I treat it in the identical manner I would handle any different disruption.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a previous period, and there will no doubt be a different trend after this. It’s what kids do. During my own youth, it was imitating television personalities mimicry (truthfully out of the school environment).

Young people are unpredictable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to behave in a manner that guides them toward the path that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, with luck, is graduating with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record extensive for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners employ it like a connecting expression in the playground: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an agreed language they possess. I believe it has any distinct meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a trend to say. Whatever the newest phenomenon is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s banned in my learning environment, however – it results in a caution if they shout it out – just like any additional calling out is. It’s particularly difficult in numeracy instruction. But my students at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re fairly accepting of the rules, whereas I understand that at high school it could be a separate situation.

I have served as a instructor for 15 years, and these phenomena continue for three or four weeks. This craze will die out in the near future – they always do, notably once their junior family members commence repeating it and it’s no longer trendy. Then they’ll be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mostly male students saying it. I taught teenagers and it was common within the junior students. I was unaware what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was a student.

The crazes are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a well-known trend during the period when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from ““sixseven”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the chalkboard in instruction, so students were less prepared to adopt it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s simply youth culture. In my opinion they just want to experience that feeling of community and camaraderie.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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