‘It’s impossible not to smile’: several UK teachers on coping with ‘‘sixseven’ in the classroom

Around the UK, school pupils have been calling out the expression ““67” during classes in the most recent viral trend to spread through educational institutions.

While some teachers have decided to calmly disregard the trend, some have accepted it. Five instructors describe how they’re managing.

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

Earlier in September, I had been talking to my secondary school students about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It caught me totally off guard.

My initial reaction was that I might have delivered an reference to something rude, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. A bit frustrated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they had no intention of being mean – I got them to explain. Frankly speaking, the description they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with no idea.

What could have made it extra funny was the evaluating motion I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this typically pairs with “six-seven”: I meant it to assist in expressing the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of end the trend I attempt to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing diminishes a craze like this more effectively than an teacher striving to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it aids so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unpreventable, having a rock-solid school behaviour policy and expectations on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can sanction it as you would any different disruption, but I’ve not really had to do that. Policies are necessary, but if learners embrace what the learning environment is implementing, they’ll be better concentrated by the viral phenomena (especially in instructional hours).

Regarding sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, except for an periodic quizzical look and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. Should you offer oxygen to it, then it becomes a blaze. I treat it in the same way I would manage any other interruption.

Previously existed the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. This is typical youth activity. When I was growing up, it was doing comedy characters mimicry (admittedly out of the classroom).

Young people are spontaneous, and In my opinion it’s an adult’s job to respond in a manner that steers them back to the course that will enable them where they need to go, which, hopefully, is coming out with academic achievements instead of a conduct report extensive for the employment of random numbers.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Young learners utilize it like a unifying phrase in the schoolyard: one says it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a stadium slogan – an shared vocabulary they use. I don’t think it has any distinct importance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, nevertheless – it triggers a reminder if they shout it out – similar to any other verbal interruption is. It’s notably difficult in maths lessons. But my students at year 5 are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re quite accepting of the regulations, whereas I recognize that at teen education it might be a different matter.

I have worked as a teacher for fifteen years, and such trends last for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will fade away in the near future – it invariably occurs, particularly once their younger siblings start saying it and it stops being cool. Subsequently they will be on to the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was primarily young men uttering it. I educated teenagers and it was prevalent among the less experienced learners. I was unaware what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

These trends are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a well-known trend during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from ““sixseven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not scribbled on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less prepared to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to relate to them and appreciate that it is just pop culture. I believe they just want to enjoy that sensation of belonging and companionship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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Alexandra Jimenez
Alexandra Jimenez

Lena is a lifestyle blogger passionate about sharing tips for balancing work and personal life, with a background in psychology.