‘It’s impossible not to smile’: a quintet of UK instructors on dealing with ‘‘sixseven’ in the educational setting

Around the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during instruction in the newest meme-based trend to spread through educational institutions.

While some educators have chosen to calmly disregard the phenomenon, some have incorporated it. A group of teachers explain how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

During September, I had been speaking with my year 11 class about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the entire group erupted in laughter. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Somewhat exasperated – but truly interested and mindful that they had no intention of being hurtful – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the clarification they then gave didn’t make greater understanding – I remained with minimal understanding.

What might have made it extra funny was the evaluating movement I had executed while speaking. I later learned that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

To end the trend I aim to mention it as often as I can. No strategy reduces a phenomenon like this more effectively than an teacher attempting to join in.

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

Being aware of it helps so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the digit pairing is unavoidable, maintaining a strong classroom conduct rules and standards on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any other disturbance, but I rarely been required to take that action. Rules are important, but if students buy into what the school is implementing, they’ll be more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in class periods).

Regarding 67, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic raised eyebrow and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide oxygen to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I handle it in the identical manner I would treat any different disruption.

Previously existed the mathematical meme trend a previous period, and there will no doubt be another craze after this. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was childhood, it was doing Kevin and Perry impressions (truthfully away from the learning space).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I believe it falls to the teacher to react in a way that redirects them toward the direction that will get them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is completing their studies with academic achievements rather than a behaviour list a mile long for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners employ it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: a pupil shouts it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the equivalent circle. It resembles a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they use. I believe it has any specific meaning to them; they simply understand it’s a trend to say. No matter what the current trend is, they want to be included in it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, however – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – identical to any additional verbal interruption is. It’s especially tricky in numeracy instruction. But my class at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re quite accepting of the rules, while I appreciate that at secondary [school] it may be a different matter.

I have worked as a instructor for a decade and a half, and such trends last for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will fade away in the near future – they always do, especially once their junior family members commence repeating it and it stops being cool. Afterward they shall be focused on the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mostly young men repeating it. I educated teenagers and it was widespread within the less experienced learners. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I understood it was just a meme comparable to when I was at school.

The crazes are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon during the period when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really occur as often in the educational setting. In contrast to ““67”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in class, so pupils were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and appreciate that it is just pop culture. I believe they just want to enjoy that sensation of togetherness and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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