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Across the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the expression “sixseven” during lessons in the newest meme-based craze to spread through classrooms.

Whereas some teachers have decided to calmly disregard the craze, some have embraced it. Several teachers explain how they’re managing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

During September, I had been speaking with my secondary school tutor group about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. It escapes me specifically what it was in relation 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 first thought was that I’d made an allusion to something rude, or that they’d heard something in my accent that appeared amusing. Somewhat exasperated – but honestly intrigued and aware that they had no intention of being hurtful – I asked them to explain. Frankly speaking, the clarification they offered failed to create greater understanding – I continued to have little comprehension.

What could have made it particularly humorous was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I later found out that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to help convey the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to kill it off I attempt to mention it as frequently as I can. No approach reduces a trend like this more emphatically than an adult attempting to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it helps so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making remarks like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a rock-solid student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Rules are important, but if students buy into what the school is doing, they will remain less distracted by the viral phenomena (particularly in instructional hours).

Regarding 67, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, aside from an periodic raised eyebrow and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give focus on it, it transforms into an inferno. I treat it in the identical manner I would manage any other disruption.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme craze a while back, and certainly there will appear another craze after this. This is typical youth activity. When I was growing up, it was doing Kevin and Perry impersonations (admittedly out of the classroom).

Students are unforeseeable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to respond in a approach that steers them in the direction of the path that will enable them where they need to go, which, with luck, is completing their studies with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record a mile long for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners utilize it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: one says it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an agreed language they share. In my view it has any specific significance to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. Whatever the latest craze is, they want to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, though – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any other verbal interruption is. It’s particularly difficult in maths lessons. But my class at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively accepting of the regulations, although I recognize that at teen education it could be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a teacher for 15 years, and these crazes continue for a few weeks. This trend will fade away in the near future – it invariably occurs, notably once their little brothers and sisters start saying it and it’s no longer cool. Subsequently they will be on to the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a language institute. It was mainly young men uttering it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread among the junior students. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really occur as often in the classroom. In contrast to ““67”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the board in class, so learners were less able to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and recognize that it’s merely pop culture. I think they simply desire to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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