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Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the words “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired craze to spread through schools.

Whereas some teachers have chosen to stoically ignore the craze, different educators have embraced it. Five educators explain how they’re dealing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been talking to my secondary school students about studying 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 results six, seven …” and the entire group started chuckling. It surprised me totally off guard.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they detected an element of my speech pattern that appeared amusing. A bit annoyed – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I persuaded them to clarify. To be honest, the description they then gave failed to create significant clarification – I still had little comprehension.

What might have made it particularly humorous was the weighing-up motion I had made while speaking. Subsequently I learned that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the process of me thinking aloud.

In order to end the trend I try to mention it as much as I can. No approach diminishes a craze like this more effectively than an grown-up trying to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it helps so that you can prevent just blundering into remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. When the digit pairing is inevitable, maintaining a rock-solid school behaviour policy and expectations on learner demeanor proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disturbance, but I rarely needed to implement that. Guidelines are one thing, but if learners buy into what the learning environment is practicing, they’ll be more focused by the internet crazes (at least in lesson time).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t lost any teaching periods, except for an occasional raised eyebrow and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. Should you offer attention to it, it transforms into an inferno. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any additional disturbance.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme phenomenon a previous period, and undoubtedly there will emerge a different trend subsequently. This is typical youth activity. When I was growing up, it was doing television personalities impersonations (admittedly away from the classroom).

Children are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to react in a manner that guides them in the direction of the course that will enable them to their educational goals, which, fingers crossed, is coming out with qualifications instead of a conduct report extensive for the employment of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children utilize it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a pupil shouts it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the identical community. It resembles a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they use. In my view it has any distinct significance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they want to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, though – it results in a caution if they shout it out – just like any additional calling out is. It’s particularly tricky in mathematics classes. But my class at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re relatively adherent to the regulations, while I understand that at teen education it could be a separate situation.

I have worked as a teacher for a decade and a half, and such trends last for a month or so. This craze will diminish in the near future – it invariably occurs, notably once their junior family members start saying it and it’s no longer trendy. Subsequently they will be on to the following phenomenon.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mostly young men uttering it. I educated students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread within the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my educational institute, but it failed to occur as often in the educational setting. Differing from ““67”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in class, so learners were less prepared to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, trying to understand them and recognize that it’s merely contemporary trends. I believe they just want to enjoy that sensation of togetherness and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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