‘You just have to laugh’: a quintet of UK educators on handling ‘‘sixseven’ in the classroom

Around the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the phrase “sixseven” during instruction in the most recent internet-inspired phenomenon to take over schools.

Whereas some teachers have opted to patiently overlook the craze, different educators have incorporated it. Several instructors share how they’re coping.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

During September, I had been speaking with my secondary school class about preparing for their qualification tests in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It took me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an hint at an inappropriate topic, or that they detected a quality in my speech pattern that appeared amusing. A bit exasperated – but honestly intrigued and aware that they had no intention of being hurtful – I asked them to elaborate. Honestly, the clarification they provided didn’t make greater understanding – I still had little comprehension.

What might have made it particularly humorous was the weighing-up movement I had executed while speaking. Subsequently I learned that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

To end the trend I aim to reference it as frequently as I can. No approach reduces a trend like this more effectively than an grown-up trying to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it assists so that you can prevent just blundering into statements like “well, there were 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the digit pairing is inevitable, maintaining a strong classroom conduct rules and requirements on learner demeanor proves beneficial, as you can sanction it as you would any additional disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Policies are necessary, but if learners buy into what the learning environment is doing, they will remain more focused by the viral phenomena (at least in class periods).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, aside from an periodic eyebrow raise and stating ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give attention to it, it evolves into an inferno. I treat it in the identical manner I would manage any different disturbance.

Previously existed the mathematical meme craze a while back, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. It’s what kids do. During my own growing up, it was imitating television personalities impressions (honestly out of the learning space).

Young people are spontaneous, and I believe it falls to the teacher to react in a way that guides them back to the direction that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, with luck, is coming out with academic achievements as opposed to a disciplinary record extensive for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Young learners employ it like a bonding chant in the playground: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It resembles a interactive chant or a football chant – an common expression they use. I believe it has any distinct importance to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they want to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, though – it results in a caution if they call it out – identical to any additional calling out is. It’s notably difficult in maths lessons. But my students at year 5 are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re quite adherent to the rules, while I appreciate that at high school it might be a separate situation.

I have served as a educator for 15 years, and these phenomena last for a month or so. This craze will fade away in the near future – this consistently happens, notably once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it’s no longer trendy. Then they’ll be engaged with the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a foreign language school. It was primarily young men saying it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread with the less experienced learners. I had no idea what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I understood it was just a meme akin to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a well-known trend at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the educational setting. Unlike ““67”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the chalkboard in lessons, so learners were less prepared to pick up on it.

I just ignore it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to understand them and appreciate that it’s simply youth culture. I think they merely seek to experience that feeling of community and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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