‘It’s impossible not to smile’: five UK teachers on coping with ‘‘sixseven’ in the school environment

Throughout the UK, students have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent meme-based craze to spread through classrooms.

While some educators have opted to calmly disregard the trend, others have accepted it. Several teachers describe how they’re managing.

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

Back in September, I had been talking to my secondary school tutor group about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an hint at an offensive subject, or that they detected something in my pronunciation that seemed humorous. Slightly frustrated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t mean – I got them to explain. Honestly, the clarification they offered failed to create greater understanding – I continued to have little comprehension.

What might have rendered it especially amusing was the considering movement I had made while speaking. Subsequently I discovered that this frequently goes with ““67”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the act of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of end the trend I attempt to bring it up as much as I can. No strategy deflates a craze like this more thoroughly than an grown-up trying to participate.

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

Knowing about it aids so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating statements like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the numerical sequence is unpreventable, possessing a firm classroom conduct rules and expectations on learner demeanor really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any different disruption, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Policies are one thing, but if learners accept what the educational institution is implementing, they will become better concentrated by the online trends (particularly in class periods).

With sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, aside from an periodic quizzical look and stating ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give focus on it, then it becomes a wildfire. I handle it in the identical manner I would treat any different interruption.

Earlier occurred the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a while back, and certainly there will appear a different trend following this. That’s children’s behavior. During my own youth, it was imitating comedy characters mimicry (admittedly away from the classroom).

Young people are unpredictable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to react in a approach that redirects them toward the direction that will help them to their educational goals, which, hopefully, is coming out with certificates rather than a conduct report lengthy for the employment of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners use it like a unifying phrase in the playground: a pupil shouts it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the identical community. It’s like a call-and-response or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they possess. In my view it has any distinct significance to them; they simply understand it’s a trend to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, however – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any other calling out is. It’s particularly challenging in maths lessons. But my students at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re fairly adherent to the guidelines, although I understand that at high school it may be a distinct scenario.

I have worked as a instructor for a decade and a half, and these crazes persist for a few weeks. This trend will die out shortly – it invariably occurs, especially once their junior family members begin using it and it stops being trendy. Then they’ll be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I first detected it in August, while educating in English language at a international school. It was primarily male students repeating it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was prevalent among the junior students. I had no idea what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was just a meme comparable to when I was a student.

The crazes are constantly changing. ““Skibidi” was a well-known trend back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly occur as often in the learning environment. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the whiteboard in lessons, so pupils were less prepared to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or sometimes I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they just want to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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Dennis Caldwell
Dennis Caldwell

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with a passion for exploring emerging technologies and sharing practical insights.