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Throughout the UK, school pupils have been calling out the phrase ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent viral craze to spread through educational institutions.

Whereas some educators have decided to calmly disregard the trend, others have embraced it. Five teachers explain how they’re dealing.

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

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade students about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the entire group started chuckling. It caught me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an reference to an offensive subject, or that they detected something in my speech pattern that sounded funny. A bit annoyed – but truly interested and mindful that they weren’t trying to be mean – I asked them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the clarification they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with minimal understanding.

What possibly rendered it especially amusing was the considering motion I had performed during speaking. I have since learned that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: My purpose was it to assist in expressing the process of me speaking my mind.

In order to eliminate it I try to bring it up as often as I can. No approach deflates a craze like this more effectively than an adult striving to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it aids so that you can prevent just blundering into comments like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is unavoidable, maintaining a firm student discipline system and standards on student conduct really helps, as you can address it as you would any additional interruption, but I’ve not really had to do that. Guidelines are important, but if learners embrace what the school is practicing, they’ll be better concentrated by the viral phenomena (especially in instructional hours).

With 67, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, other than for an infrequent raised eyebrow and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give focus on it, it evolves into an inferno. I handle it in the identical manner I would treat any other disruption.

There was the mathematical meme craze a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze subsequently. It’s what kids do. During my own growing up, it was imitating comedy characters impressions (admittedly outside the school environment).

Young people are spontaneous, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to behave in a approach that redirects them back to the path that will enable them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is coming out with certificates rather than a conduct report extensive for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students utilize it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the other children answer to show they are the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they share. I don’t think it has any particular significance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, though – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – just like any additional shouting out is. It’s notably tricky in maths lessons. But my pupils at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re fairly compliant with the rules, while I understand that at teen education it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and such trends last for a month or so. This craze will diminish shortly – they always do, particularly once their junior family members begin using it and it ceases to be cool. Then they’ll be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a language institute. It was mainly young men repeating it. I instructed teenagers and it was widespread within the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was just a meme similar to when I attended classes.

These trends are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it failed to exist as much in the educational setting. Unlike ““sixseven”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the chalkboard in instruction, so students were less able to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, trying to empathise with them and understand that it is just pop culture. In my opinion they simply desire to feel that sense of belonging and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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