🔗 Share this article

Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the words ““six-seven” during lessons in the latest internet-inspired phenomenon to spread through classrooms.

Although some educators have chosen to stoically ignore the phenomenon, others have incorporated it. Five instructors explain how they’re dealing.

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

During September, I had been addressing my year 11 class about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in reference to, but I said something like “ … if you’re aiming for grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My initial reaction was that I had created an reference to an offensive subject, or that they’d heard an element of my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Somewhat exasperated – but genuinely curious and aware that they weren’t malicious – I persuaded them to clarify. To be honest, the explanation they then gave didn’t make much difference – I remained with little comprehension.

What could have rendered it particularly humorous was the considering gesture I had executed while speaking. I have since discovered that this typically pairs with ““67”: I had intended it to help convey the process of me thinking aloud.

In order to eliminate it I attempt to reference it as much as I can. No strategy diminishes a craze like this more emphatically than an teacher attempting to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it helps so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making remarks like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is unpreventable, having a firm classroom conduct rules and standards on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any other disturbance, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Policies are one thing, but if pupils embrace what the learning environment is implementing, they will remain better concentrated by the internet crazes (particularly in class periods).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, except for an infrequent eyebrow raise and saying ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. Should you offer oxygen to it, it transforms into an inferno. I address it in the same way I would treat any additional disturbance.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 trend a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon subsequently. That’s children’s behavior. During my own childhood, it was performing television personalities impersonations (truthfully away from the classroom).

Children are spontaneous, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a manner that redirects them toward the course that will get them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is completing their studies with academic achievements instead of a behaviour list extensive for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Young learners utilize it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It’s like a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they possess. I don’t think it has any distinct importance to them; they simply understand it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they seek to experience belonging to it.

It’s banned in my classroom, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any other calling out is. It’s especially challenging in numeracy instruction. But my students at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly accepting of the regulations, while I understand that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.

I have worked as a teacher for fifteen years, and these phenomena last for a month or so. This craze will die out in the near future – they always do, especially once their little brothers and sisters start saying it and it stops being trendy. Afterward they shall be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a international school. It was primarily boys saying it. I instructed teenagers and it was widespread within the junior students. I didn’t understand its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I understood it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

These trends are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a well-known trend at the time when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really exist as much in the classroom. Unlike ““67”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the board in lessons, so pupils were less able to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I unintentionally utter it, attempting to relate to them and appreciate that it’s merely pop culture. I believe they just want to experience that feeling of belonging and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

I have performed the {job|profession