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Across the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the words ““six-seven” during lessons in the latest internet-inspired craze to sweep across schools.

Whereas some instructors have decided to patiently overlook the trend, others have embraced it. A group of teachers share how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

During September, I had been addressing my secondary school class about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in reference to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the entire group started chuckling. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an reference to an inappropriate topic, or that they detected an element of my speech pattern that sounded funny. A bit exasperated – but truly interested and mindful that they had no intention of being mean – I persuaded them to clarify. Honestly, the description they offered didn’t provide much difference – I remained with minimal understanding.

What could have caused it to be extra funny was the weighing-up gesture I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I learned that this often accompanies ““67”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the act of me thinking aloud.

To eliminate it I attempt to reference it as frequently as I can. No strategy deflates a trend like this more effectively than an teacher attempting to participate.

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

Understanding it aids so that you can prevent just accidentally making remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is unavoidable, having a strong classroom conduct rules and requirements on student conduct really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any other disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Policies are necessary, but if students accept what the learning environment is implementing, they will remain better concentrated by the online trends (at least in class periods).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t lost any teaching periods, except for an occasional eyebrow raise and stating “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give attention to it, it evolves into a wildfire. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any additional disruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a few years ago, and undoubtedly there will emerge a different trend following this. This is typical youth activity. When I was childhood, it was imitating comedy characters mimicry (truthfully out of the school environment).

Children are unpredictable, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a manner that guides them back to the direction that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, with luck, is completing their studies with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record extensive for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students use it like a connecting expression in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to show they are the identical community. It resembles a call-and-response or a football chant – an common expression they share. I don’t think it has any distinct significance to them; they just know it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they want to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, however – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – similar to any different shouting out is. It’s notably tricky in maths lessons. But my class at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re relatively compliant with the rules, although I appreciate that at teen education it could be a separate situation.

I’ve been a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena persist for three or four weeks. This trend will diminish shortly – they always do, particularly once their little brothers and sisters commence repeating it and it stops being cool. Then they’ll be on to the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a international school. It was primarily male students saying it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent among the less experienced learners. I was unaware its significance at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

The crazes are continuously evolving. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly occur as often in the learning environment. Differing from “six-seven”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the board in lessons, so learners were less able to pick up on it.

I just ignore it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s merely pop culture. I think they simply desire to experience that feeling of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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