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Across the UK, students have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during classes in the newest internet-inspired phenomenon to spread through schools.

Whereas some teachers have chosen to patiently overlook the trend, others have embraced it. A group of instructors describe how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade students about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an hint at something rude, or that they perceived something in my pronunciation that sounded funny. Slightly annoyed – but genuinely curious and aware that they weren’t mean – I got them to explain. Frankly speaking, the explanation they offered didn’t provide greater understanding – I still had little comprehension.

What possibly caused it to be extra funny was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I have since learned that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the action of me speaking my mind.

To kill it off I try to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing deflates a phenomenon like this more effectively than an grown-up attempting to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it assists so that you can prevent just accidentally making comments like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unpreventable, possessing a strong school behaviour policy and standards on pupil behavior really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any additional interruption, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Rules are one thing, but if pupils buy into what the school is implementing, they’ll be more focused by the online trends (particularly in class periods).

With sixseven, I haven’t lost any teaching periods, aside from an infrequent eyebrow raise and saying ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno. I address it in the identical manner I would manage any other disturbance.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 craze a previous period, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon following this. It’s what kids do. Back when I was childhood, it was doing comedy characters impressions (truthfully out of the learning space).

Children are unforeseeable, and In my opinion it’s an adult’s job to react in a manner that redirects them back to the path that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is coming out with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record lengthy for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students employ it like a bonding chant in the playground: a pupil shouts it and the other children answer to show they are the same group. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an common expression they use. In my view it has any distinct meaning to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to feel part of it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they exclaim it – just like any different shouting out is. It’s especially tricky in numeracy instruction. But my students at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re relatively compliant with the guidelines, whereas I appreciate that at teen education it could be a separate situation.

I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena persist for three or four weeks. This trend will die out soon – this consistently happens, notably once their junior family members begin using it and it’s no longer trendy. Subsequently they will be on to the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mainly boys repeating it. I educated teenagers and it was common within the younger pupils. I was unaware its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a well-known trend at the time when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really occur as often in the classroom. Differing from ““67”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the chalkboard in instruction, so pupils were less equipped to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s simply youth culture. I think they simply desire to enjoy that sensation of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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