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Throughout the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the expression ““six-seven” during lessons in the newest meme-based craze to take over classrooms.

Although some instructors have opted to stoically ignore the trend, others have embraced it. Five educators describe how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

During September, I had been speaking with my secondary school class about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It took me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an reference to an inappropriate topic, or that they’d heard something in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Slightly exasperated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t hurtful – I asked them to explain. Honestly, the explanation they then gave failed to create significant clarification – I remained with minimal understanding.

What could have rendered it particularly humorous was the considering gesture I had executed while speaking. I have since discovered that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to eliminate it I try to reference it as frequently as I can. No strategy reduces a craze like this more emphatically than an adult trying to get involved.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it assists so that you can steer clear of just blundering into remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the numerical sequence is unavoidable, possessing a strong school behaviour policy and requirements on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any different disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Rules are necessary, but if students buy into what the educational institution is practicing, they will become less distracted by the viral phenomena (at least in class periods).

Regarding sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, aside from an occasional quizzical look and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno. I treat it in the equivalent fashion I would manage any additional disruption.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme trend a while back, and certainly there will appear a different trend following this. It’s what kids do. During my own childhood, it was performing Kevin and Perry mimicry (admittedly out of the classroom).

Students are unforeseeable, and I think it falls to the teacher to behave in a approach that guides them back to the course that will help them to their educational goals, which, fingers crossed, is coming out with certificates rather than a disciplinary record a mile long for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children employ it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an common expression they use. In my view it has any particular meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my classroom, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they call it out – similar to any additional calling out is. It’s notably tricky in numeracy instruction. But my pupils at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re fairly adherent to the guidelines, whereas I understand that at teen education it might be a different matter.

I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena persist for a month or so. This trend will fade away in the near future – this consistently happens, particularly once their little brothers and sisters commence repeating it and it’s no longer fashionable. Subsequently they will be engaged with the following phenomenon.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mainly boys saying it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread among the junior students. I was unaware its significance at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was just a meme akin to when I was a student.

The crazes are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the learning environment. Unlike ““67”, “skibidi toilet” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less equipped to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, trying to understand them and recognize that it is just pop culture. In my opinion they simply desire to enjoy that sensation of community and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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