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Around the UK, learners have been shouting out the words ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired trend to sweep across classrooms.

While some teachers have chosen to stoically ignore the phenomenon, others have accepted it. Five teachers explain how they’re managing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my year 11 tutor group about getting ready for their GCSE exams in June. It escapes me specifically what it was in relation to, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It took me completely by surprise.

My first thought was that I’d made an reference to an offensive subject, or that they detected something in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Somewhat frustrated – but honestly intrigued and conscious that they weren’t mean – I persuaded them to elaborate. To be honest, the clarification they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with little comprehension.

What might have rendered it particularly humorous was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I later learned that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to help convey the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to eliminate it I aim to mention it as often as I can. Nothing deflates a phenomenon like this more emphatically than an grown-up striving to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it assists so that you can prevent just accidentally making comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a rock-solid school behaviour policy and requirements on student conduct is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any different disturbance, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Guidelines are important, but if pupils embrace what the school is practicing, they will remain more focused by the viral phenomena (at least in lesson time).

With sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic raised eyebrow and stating “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno. I treat it in the identical manner I would manage any different interruption.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 trend a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge a different trend following this. It’s what kids do. During my own childhood, it was imitating comedy characters mimicry (admittedly out of the learning space).

Students are spontaneous, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a approach that steers them back to the path that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, with luck, is graduating with certificates rather than a conduct report extensive for the utilization of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students employ it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: one says it and the other children answer to show they are the same group. It resembles a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they possess. I don’t think it has any particular significance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they desire to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my learning environment, however – it results in a caution if they shout it out – similar to any different calling out is. It’s particularly tricky in mathematics classes. But my class at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite compliant with the rules, while I understand that at teen education it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a educator for fifteen years, and these crazes last for three or four weeks. This craze will fade away in the near future – it invariably occurs, especially once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it stops being trendy. Subsequently they will be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mainly boys repeating it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent among the younger pupils. I had no idea its significance at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

These trends are constantly changing. ““Skibidi” was a familiar phenomenon back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really occur as often in the learning environment. In contrast to “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the board in instruction, so learners were less prepared to pick up on it.

I just ignore it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s merely pop culture. In my opinion they just want to feel that sense of community and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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