‘It’s impossible not to smile’: a quintet of UK instructors on dealing with ‘six-seven’ in the classroom

Throughout the UK, learners have been exclaiming the phrase ““67” during classes in the most recent meme-based trend to take over classrooms.

Although some instructors have chosen to calmly disregard the craze, different educators have accepted it. A group of teachers describe how they’re managing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade students about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I had created an hint at something rude, or that they perceived a quality in my speech pattern that sounded funny. Somewhat frustrated – but genuinely curious and conscious that they weren’t trying to be mean – I got them to elaborate. Honestly, the description they offered didn’t make greater understanding – I still had minimal understanding.

What might have rendered it especially amusing was the weighing-up motion I had performed during speaking. I have since found out that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to end the trend I aim to bring it up as often as I can. Nothing diminishes a craze like this more emphatically than an adult trying to get involved.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it assists so that you can prevent just accidentally making comments like “well, there were 6, 7 hundred jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is unpreventable, possessing a rock-solid school behaviour policy and requirements on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any other disturbance, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Rules are necessary, but if pupils embrace what the learning environment is implementing, they’ll be more focused by the internet crazes (particularly in lesson time).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, aside from an infrequent quizzical look and stating “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give focus on it, it evolves into a wildfire. I treat it in the equivalent fashion I would manage any different disruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 craze a while back, and certainly there will appear another craze subsequently. It’s what kids do. When I was youth, it was performing Kevin and Perry impressions (honestly away from the learning space).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to behave in a way that guides them in the direction of the path that will get them where they need to go, which, with luck, is graduating with academic achievements rather than a behaviour list a mile long for the use of arbitrary digits.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students utilize it like a connecting expression in the playground: a student calls it and the others respond to show they are the equivalent circle. It’s like a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they use. In my view it has any distinct significance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the latest craze is, they want to be included in it.

It’s banned in my learning environment, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they call it out – identical to any different verbal interruption is. It’s notably difficult in numeracy instruction. But my class at year 5 are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly compliant with the guidelines, whereas I appreciate that at teen education it may be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a teacher for fifteen years, and such trends last for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will fade away in the near future – they always do, especially once their little brothers and sisters start saying it and it’s no longer cool. Then they’ll be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I first detected it in August, while teaching English at a language institute. It was mostly young men uttering it. I educated students from twelve to eighteen and it was prevalent with the younger pupils. I was unaware its meaning at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was just a meme similar to when I was at school.

These trends are always shifting. “Skibidi toilet” was a well-known trend back when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the learning environment. In contrast to ““sixseven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to understand them and understand that it’s merely pop culture. In my opinion they just want to enjoy that sensation of togetherness and companionship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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Anthony Ray
Anthony Ray

A seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering global stories and delivering insightful perspectives.