‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: a quintet of UK teachers on handling ‘six-seven’ in the classroom

Across the UK, learners have been shouting out the expression ““six-seven” during classes in the most recent viral phenomenon to sweep across educational institutions.

Whereas some instructors have chosen to stoically ignore the phenomenon, some have incorporated it. Several educators explain how they’re coping.

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

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade class about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall precisely what it was in connection with, but I said something like “ … if you’re targeting marks six, seven …” and the whole class started chuckling. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an reference to an offensive subject, or that they’d heard a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. A bit annoyed – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t malicious – I asked them to clarify. To be honest, the description they offered failed to create greater understanding – I remained with no idea.

What possibly made it especially amusing was the considering motion I had performed during speaking. I have since learned that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the act of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of end the trend I aim to reference it as often as I can. No strategy deflates a trend like this more thoroughly than an adult 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 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is unavoidable, possessing a firm school behaviour policy and standards on student conduct really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Guidelines are important, but if learners buy into what the educational institution is practicing, they will remain less distracted by the online trends (at least in instructional hours).

Concerning 67, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, except for an occasional quizzical look and stating ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give attention to it, it transforms into a blaze. I handle it in the identical manner I would manage any different disruption.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a few years ago, and certainly there will appear another craze after this. That’s children’s behavior. During my own growing up, it was performing comedy characters impressions (honestly away from the classroom).

Students are spontaneous, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a manner that guides them in the direction of the path that will help them where they need to go, which, with luck, is completing their studies with academic achievements instead of a behaviour list a mile long for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners employ it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: a student calls it and the other children answer to show they are the identical community. It resembles a call-and-response or a football chant – an common expression they use. I believe it has any specific importance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s banned in my learning environment, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they shout it out – just like any different verbal interruption is. It’s especially challenging in maths lessons. But my pupils at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite accepting of the guidelines, while I understand that at secondary [school] it could be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, and these phenomena continue for a few weeks. This trend will diminish shortly – this consistently happens, especially once their younger siblings begin using it and it’s no longer cool. Subsequently they will be focused on the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was mostly boys saying it. I educated ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread with the junior students. I had no idea its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was at school.

These trends are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a well-known trend back when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the educational setting. Unlike “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in instruction, so pupils were less equipped to adopt it.

I just ignore it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to relate to them and understand that it is just contemporary trends. In my opinion they just want to experience that feeling of togetherness and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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Crystal Donovan
Crystal Donovan

Professional roulette strategist with over a decade of experience in casino gaming and player education.