‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: several UK instructors on handling ‘‘67’ in the classroom

Around the UK, school pupils have been calling out the phrase “sixseven” during classes in the latest meme-based phenomenon to take over schools.

While some teachers have chosen to calmly disregard the craze, different educators have incorporated it. Five teachers explain how they’re dealing.

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

Back in September, I had been talking to my year 11 tutor group about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in relation to, but I said something like “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It caught me completely by surprise.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived something in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. A bit frustrated – but truly interested and mindful that they weren’t mean – I persuaded them to elaborate. To be honest, the explanation they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with no idea.

What could have rendered it especially amusing was the considering gesture I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I learned that this often accompanies “six-seven”: My purpose was it to assist in expressing the act of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of eliminate it I attempt to reference it as much as I can. Nothing diminishes a phenomenon like this more thoroughly than an grown-up attempting to get involved.

‘If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno’

Understanding it helps so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating statements like “well, there were 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unavoidable, possessing a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and requirements on learner demeanor really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Guidelines are necessary, but if learners accept what the educational institution is practicing, they’ll be more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in instructional hours).

Concerning 67, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic raised eyebrow and saying ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. Should you offer focus on it, it evolves into a blaze. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any other interruption.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme craze a few years ago, and there will no doubt be a different trend subsequently. It’s what kids do. Back when I was childhood, it was performing comedy characters impersonations (admittedly outside the classroom).

Students are unforeseeable, and I think it falls to the teacher to respond in a approach that guides them back to the direction that will help them to their educational goals, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with academic achievements rather than a disciplinary record a mile long for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children use it like a unifying phrase in the playground: one says it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It resembles a interactive chant or a football chant – an common expression they possess. I don’t think it has any particular significance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the newest phenomenon is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my learning environment, however – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any other verbal interruption is. It’s particularly tricky in maths lessons. But my class at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re fairly compliant with the guidelines, while I recognize that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a teacher for a decade and a half, and such trends last for three or four weeks. This trend will diminish soon – they always do, notably once their little brothers and sisters start saying it and it stops being trendy. Then they’ll be on to the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a foreign language school. It was primarily boys repeating it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent within the less experienced learners. I was unaware its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I recognized it was just a meme comparable to when I attended classes.

The crazes are continuously evolving. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my training school, but it failed to occur as often in the learning environment. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in instruction, so students were less equipped to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and recognize that it’s simply youth culture. I believe they merely seek to experience that feeling of togetherness and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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