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Around the UK, learners have been shouting out the phrase “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent meme-based trend to spread through schools.

While some teachers have opted to calmly disregard the phenomenon, others have embraced it. Several educators explain how they’re coping.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade tutor group about getting ready for their qualification tests in June. It escapes me specifically what it was in relation to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they detected an element of my speech pattern that seemed humorous. Slightly exasperated – but truly interested and conscious that they weren’t trying to be malicious – I asked them to explain. To be honest, the clarification they then gave didn’t provide significant clarification – I still had minimal understanding.

What possibly rendered it extra funny was the evaluating gesture I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I discovered that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

To end the trend I try to bring it up as often as I can. Nothing reduces a trend like this more effectively than an adult trying to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it aids so that you can avoid just blundering into remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unavoidable, possessing a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and standards on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any different disturbance, but I rarely been required to take that action. Policies are one thing, but if learners embrace what the learning environment is doing, they will become less distracted by the viral phenomena (at least in instructional hours).

Regarding sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, except for an occasional raised eyebrow and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give attention to it, then it becomes a blaze. I treat it in the same way I would handle any additional disruption.

Previously existed the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a while back, and certainly there will appear another craze subsequently. It’s what kids do. During my own childhood, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impressions (truthfully outside the school environment).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I believe it falls to the teacher to respond in a approach that guides them toward the course that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with academic achievements as opposed to a conduct report a mile long for the use of random numbers.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Young learners use it like a unifying phrase in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It resembles a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an common expression they use. I believe it has any specific importance to them; they just know it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the current trend is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s banned in my learning environment, though – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – similar to any other shouting out is. It’s especially difficult in numeracy instruction. But my students at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re fairly adherent to the regulations, although I understand that at secondary [school] it might be a different matter.

I have worked as a instructor for 15 years, and these crazes last for a few weeks. This trend will diminish shortly – it invariably occurs, particularly once their little brothers and sisters begin using it and it’s no longer cool. Subsequently they will be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I started noticing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mainly young men repeating it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent among the younger pupils. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was a student.

These trends are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my training school, but it failed to appear as frequently in the learning environment. In contrast to ““67”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in instruction, so learners were less equipped to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to relate to them and understand that it’s simply youth culture. In my opinion they merely seek to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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