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Across the UK, learners have been calling out the expression ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent viral craze to spread through schools.

Whereas some teachers have chosen to stoically ignore the trend, others have accepted it. Five educators describe how they’re coping.

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

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade students about getting ready for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for grades six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I’d made an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived an element of my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Somewhat frustrated – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t hurtful – I asked them to clarify. Honestly, the clarification they offered didn’t make much difference – I still had no idea.

What could have made it especially amusing was the weighing-up motion I had performed during speaking. I later discovered that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to assist in expressing the act of me thinking aloud.

In order to end the trend I try to reference it as much as I can. No strategy diminishes a phenomenon like this more emphatically than an adult striving to get involved.

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

Understanding it aids so that you can avoid just accidentally making comments like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. If the digit pairing is inevitable, maintaining a strong classroom conduct rules and requirements on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any additional interruption, but I rarely had to do that. Rules are necessary, but if pupils accept what the school is doing, they will remain more focused by the viral phenomena (at least in class periods).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, other than for an infrequent quizzical look and stating “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give attention to it, it evolves into a wildfire. I treat it in the identical manner I would manage any different interruption.

Previously existed the mathematical meme phenomenon a few years ago, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze following this. This is typical youth activity. During my own growing up, it was imitating Kevin and Perry mimicry (honestly outside the classroom).

Children are spontaneous, and I think it falls to the teacher to react in a manner that guides them toward the path that will enable them to their educational goals, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with qualifications as opposed to a behaviour list lengthy for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children utilize it like a bonding chant in the playground: a student calls it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It’s like a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an shared vocabulary they use. In my view it has any specific importance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they want to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, however – it results in a caution if they exclaim it – similar to any additional calling out is. It’s especially challenging in mathematics classes. But my class at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re quite accepting of the guidelines, while I understand that at secondary [school] it may be a different matter.

I have worked as a instructor for a decade and a half, and such trends continue for a month or so. This trend will diminish shortly – they always do, especially once their junior family members commence repeating it and it’s no longer cool. Then they’ll be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a foreign language school. It was mostly boys saying it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread within the junior students. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the learning environment. In contrast to “six-seven”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the whiteboard in class, so pupils were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they simply desire to experience that feeling of togetherness and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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