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Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the expression ““six-seven” during classes in the most recent viral trend to sweep across educational institutions.

While some teachers have chosen to stoically ignore the phenomenon, others have embraced it. A group of teachers explain how they’re managing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Back in September, I had been talking to my eleventh grade class about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting grades six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they’d heard a quality in my speech pattern that appeared amusing. A bit exasperated – but honestly intrigued and aware that they weren’t trying to be malicious – I asked them to clarify. Frankly speaking, the description they offered didn’t make greater understanding – I remained with no idea.

What could have rendered it extra funny was the evaluating motion I had performed during speaking. I have since found out that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I meant it to assist in expressing the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of end the trend I attempt to bring it up as much as I can. No strategy reduces a craze like this more emphatically than an grown-up trying to join in.

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

Knowing about it assists so that you can prevent just unintentionally stating comments like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the digit pairing is inevitable, having a firm student discipline system and requirements on pupil behavior really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any different disturbance, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Policies are necessary, but if pupils accept what the learning environment is implementing, they will become more focused by the online trends (especially in lesson time).

With 67, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic eyebrow raise and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide oxygen to it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any additional disturbance.

Previously existed the nine plus ten equals twenty-one trend a previous period, and there will no doubt be a new phenomenon subsequently. This is typical youth activity. During my own childhood, it was performing comedy characters impersonations (truthfully away from the learning space).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to behave in a approach that guides them in the direction of the course that will enable them to their educational goals, which, hopefully, is graduating with qualifications as opposed to a disciplinary record a mile long for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Students utilize it like a connecting expression in the recreation area: one says it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It resembles a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an shared vocabulary they use. In my view it has any particular significance to them; they simply understand it’s a thing to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my classroom, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they call it out – identical to any different verbal interruption is. It’s especially difficult in mathematics classes. But my class at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re fairly compliant with the regulations, while I appreciate that at high school it could be a separate situation.

I have served as a teacher for fifteen years, and such trends persist for a month or so. This craze will fade away in the near future – this consistently happens, especially once their junior family members commence repeating it and it’s no longer fashionable. Then they’ll be engaged with the following phenomenon.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was common with the junior students. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I understood it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are always shifting. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really exist as much in the educational setting. Unlike “six-seven”, “skibidi toilet” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in lessons, so students were less equipped to adopt it.

I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, attempting to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they merely seek to feel that sense of community and camaraderie.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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