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Throughout the UK, students have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during classes in the newest meme-based phenomenon to take over schools.

Whereas some teachers have decided to stoically ignore the trend, different educators have embraced it. Five instructors share how they’re dealing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my year 11 tutor group about getting ready for their qualification tests in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an reference to an offensive subject, or that they’d heard something in my accent that appeared amusing. Somewhat exasperated – but genuinely curious and aware that they weren’t trying to be malicious – I persuaded them to clarify. Frankly speaking, the explanation they provided failed to create greater understanding – I still had no idea.

What might have rendered it particularly humorous was the evaluating motion I had made while speaking. I have since learned that this often accompanies “six-seven”: I had intended it to help convey the action of me thinking aloud.

To end the trend I attempt to mention it as frequently as I can. Nothing deflates a craze like this more thoroughly than an grown-up striving to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it assists so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making comments like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is inevitable, having a strong school behaviour policy and expectations on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any other disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Rules are important, but if students buy into what the school is practicing, they will become more focused by the online trends (particularly in lesson time).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, aside from an infrequent eyebrow raise and stating “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide focus on it, then it becomes a wildfire. I treat it in the same way I would handle any other disruption.

Previously existed the mathematical meme phenomenon a previous period, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. It’s what kids do. During my own childhood, it was doing television personalities impressions (honestly outside the classroom).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a approach that redirects them toward the course that will enable them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is graduating with certificates rather than a conduct report lengthy for the use of arbitrary digits.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

The children employ it like a connecting expression in the playground: a pupil shouts it and the others respond to show they are the identical community. It resembles a call-and-response or a football chant – an shared vocabulary they share. In my view it has any particular importance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, though – it results in a caution if they call it out – just like any other calling out is. It’s especially tricky in numeracy instruction. But my pupils at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite accepting of the guidelines, whereas I understand that at teen education it might be a separate situation.

I’ve been a educator for 15 years, and such trends persist for three or four weeks. This trend will fade away in the near future – they always do, notably once their younger siblings start saying it and it stops being cool. Then they’ll be on to the subsequent trend.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a international school. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed teenagers and it was common within the junior students. I was unaware its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was at school.

The crazes are continuously evolving. “Skibidi toilet” was a well-known trend during the period when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it failed to appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the chalkboard in instruction, so learners were less able to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I accidentally say it, striving to understand them and recognize that it’s merely youth culture. I believe they simply desire to experience that feeling of community and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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