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Around the UK, students have been calling out the phrase “sixseven” during classes in the newest viral phenomenon to sweep across educational institutions.

Although some instructors have opted to calmly disregard the phenomenon, different educators have incorporated it. Several educators share how they’re dealing.

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

Back in September, I had been talking to my secondary school class about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in reference to, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It caught me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an reference to something rude, or that they perceived an element of my pronunciation that appeared amusing. A bit exasperated – but truly interested and mindful that they weren’t mean – I persuaded them to elaborate. To be honest, the explanation they provided didn’t provide significant clarification – I continued to have no idea.

What might have made it especially amusing was the weighing-up gesture I had performed during speaking. I later learned that this typically pairs with ““67”: I had intended it to help convey the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of kill it off I try to bring it up as frequently as I can. No approach reduces a trend like this more thoroughly than an adult striving to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it helps so that you can prevent just blundering into remarks like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. When the numerical sequence is inevitable, possessing a firm classroom conduct rules and requirements on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any additional disruption, but I’ve not really had to do that. Policies are one thing, but if students buy into what the learning environment is implementing, they will remain less distracted by the viral phenomena (at least in lesson time).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, except for an periodic eyebrow raise and stating ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide attention to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any different disturbance.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 trend a previous period, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. It’s what kids do. During my own youth, it was imitating comedy characters impersonations (truthfully outside the learning space).

Students are unpredictable, and I believe it falls to the teacher to behave in a manner that guides them toward the path that will get them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with qualifications rather than a behaviour list lengthy for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners utilize it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: a pupil shouts it and the others respond to indicate they’re part of the same group. It resembles a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an common expression they use. In my view it has any specific significance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they want to be included in it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, though – it results in a caution if they shout it out – similar to any different calling out is. It’s notably difficult in numeracy instruction. But my class at year 5 are pre-teens, so they’re relatively adherent to the regulations, whereas I appreciate that at secondary [school] it could be a separate situation.

I’ve been a educator for a decade and a half, and these phenomena persist for a few weeks. This craze will die out in the near future – it invariably occurs, notably once their little brothers and sisters begin using it and it stops being cool. Then they’ll be focused on the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a international school. It was primarily boys saying it. I taught teenagers and it was common among the younger pupils. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon akin to when I was at school.

These trends are always shifting. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the classroom. Unlike “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in class, so pupils were less prepared to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or sometimes I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to relate to them and appreciate that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they just want to feel that sense of togetherness and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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