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Across the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the words ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired craze to sweep across schools.

Although some educators have chosen to patiently overlook the phenomenon, others have embraced it. A group of teachers describe how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

During September, I had been speaking with my secondary school class about studying for their GCSE exams in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the entire group started chuckling. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they detected a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. A bit exasperated – but truly interested and mindful that they had no intention of being mean – I asked them to clarify. Honestly, the clarification they offered didn’t provide much difference – I still had minimal understanding.

What might have rendered it particularly humorous was the weighing-up movement I had made while speaking. I have since learned that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me speaking my mind.

In order to eliminate it I try to mention it as frequently as I can. Nothing diminishes a phenomenon like this more emphatically than an grown-up striving to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it helps so that you can prevent just unintentionally stating comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is unavoidable, having a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and expectations on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Rules are important, but if students accept what the school is doing, they will become better concentrated by the viral phenomena (at least in instructional hours).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an infrequent raised eyebrow and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. Should you offer focus on it, it transforms into an inferno. I treat it in the identical manner I would manage any additional disruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a few years ago, and there will no doubt be another craze after this. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was youth, it was doing Kevin and Perry mimicry (admittedly out of the school environment).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to respond in a approach that guides them toward the course that will get them where they need to go, which, with luck, is completing their studies with qualifications rather than a behaviour list lengthy for the utilization of arbitrary digits.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students use it like a unifying phrase in the playground: a pupil shouts it and the others respond to show they are the equivalent circle. It resembles a interactive chant or a football chant – an shared vocabulary they possess. I believe it has any particular importance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Whatever the current trend is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s banned in my classroom, however – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any different shouting out is. It’s particularly difficult in mathematics classes. But my pupils at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite compliant with the rules, whereas I understand that at secondary [school] it might be a separate situation.

I have served as a instructor for 15 years, and such trends last for a few weeks. This craze will diminish soon – it invariably occurs, particularly once their junior family members start saying it and it’s no longer trendy. Afterward they shall be engaged with the next thing.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mostly young men uttering it. I educated ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread within the younger pupils. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was at school.

These trends are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a familiar phenomenon back when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really exist as much in the learning environment. Differing from ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the chalkboard in instruction, so learners were less able to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they just want to enjoy that sensation of community and camaraderie.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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