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Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the phrase “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent viral trend to spread through educational institutions.

While some educators have decided to patiently overlook the craze, others have embraced it. A group of teachers share how they’re coping.

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

Back in September, I had been addressing my secondary school tutor group about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in connection with, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It surprised me totally off guard.

My first thought was that I had created an reference to an inappropriate topic, or that they detected something in my accent that seemed humorous. A bit annoyed – but truly interested and conscious that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I persuaded them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the clarification they offered didn’t make significant clarification – I remained with minimal understanding.

What could have rendered it particularly humorous was the considering movement I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: My purpose was it to assist in expressing the process of me thinking aloud.

In order to kill it off I aim to bring it up as often as I can. No approach diminishes a craze like this more effectively than an teacher trying to get involved.

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

Being aware of it aids so that you can avoid just accidentally making statements like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unavoidable, possessing a firm student discipline system and requirements on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disruption, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Policies are important, but if learners buy into what the learning environment is doing, they will become better concentrated by the internet crazes (at least in class periods).

With six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, other than for an periodic raised eyebrow and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give focus on it, it evolves into a wildfire. I handle it in the same way I would handle any additional disruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one trend a while back, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon subsequently. This is typical youth activity. During my own youth, it was imitating comedy characters mimicry (honestly outside the school environment).

Students are unpredictable, and I think it falls to the teacher to behave in a approach that steers them toward the course that will get them to their educational goals, which, hopefully, is completing their studies with qualifications rather than a conduct report a mile long for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children utilize it like a connecting expression in the playground: a student calls it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It resembles a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an agreed language they use. In my view it has any distinct meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a trend to say. Whatever the current trend is, they want to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, however – it results in a caution if they exclaim it – identical to any additional calling out is. It’s especially tricky in maths lessons. But my class at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re relatively adherent to the rules, whereas I understand that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.

I have worked as a instructor for fifteen years, and these phenomena persist for a few weeks. This craze will diminish in the near future – this consistently happens, especially once their younger siblings start saying it and it ceases to be fashionable. Subsequently they will be on to the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mainly young men repeating it. I instructed teenagers and it was widespread within the younger pupils. I was unaware its meaning at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I recognized it was simply an internet trend akin to when I attended classes.

The crazes are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly occur as often in the learning environment. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the chalkboard in lessons, so learners were less prepared to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, striving to understand them and understand that it’s merely contemporary trends. I think they simply desire to feel that sense of togetherness and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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