‘You just have to laugh’: several UK educators on coping with ‘‘67’ in the educational setting

Across the UK, learners have been exclaiming the expression ““six-seven” during classes in the latest viral craze to spread through classrooms.

While some instructors have decided to patiently overlook the phenomenon, some have embraced it. Several instructors share how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Back in September, I had been talking to my eleventh grade class about getting ready for their qualification tests in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It took me completely by surprise.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived an element of my speech pattern that appeared amusing. Slightly annoyed – but honestly intrigued and aware that they weren’t hurtful – I persuaded them to explain. Frankly speaking, the explanation they offered didn’t make greater understanding – I still had little comprehension.

What possibly rendered it particularly humorous was the evaluating movement I had performed during speaking. I later discovered that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the act of me speaking my mind.

To kill it off I attempt to reference it as frequently as I can. No strategy reduces a craze like this more thoroughly than an adult attempting to get involved.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Knowing about it aids so that you can steer clear of just blundering into remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is unavoidable, maintaining a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and requirements on learner demeanor really helps, as you can address it as you would any different disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Policies are one thing, but if pupils buy into what the educational institution is practicing, they’ll be more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in lesson time).

With 67, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, aside from an occasional raised eyebrow and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. Should you offer attention to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I address it in the identical manner I would handle any different disruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one trend a previous period, and certainly there will appear a different trend after this. That’s children’s behavior. During my own youth, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impressions (truthfully away from the learning space).

Young people are unpredictable, and I think it falls to the teacher to behave in a way that guides them in the direction of the course that will help them where they need to go, which, with luck, is completing their studies with certificates as opposed to a behaviour list lengthy for the use of random numbers.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners use it like a unifying phrase in the schoolyard: one says it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the same group. It’s like a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they possess. I don’t think it has any distinct significance to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. No matter what the current trend is, they seek to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my learning environment, though – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any different shouting out is. It’s notably difficult in numeracy instruction. But my class at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively compliant with the guidelines, although I recognize that at secondary [school] it may be a different matter.

I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and these crazes last for three or four weeks. This trend will diminish soon – they always do, particularly once their little brothers and sisters begin using it and it ceases to be trendy. Afterward they shall be focused on the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I first detected it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mostly boys uttering it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread with the younger pupils. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I realised it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme back when I was at my educational institute, but it failed to occur as often in the classroom. Differing from “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the board in class, so learners were less equipped to embrace it.

I just ignore it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, striving to empathise with them and recognize that it is just youth culture. In my opinion they merely seek to enjoy that sensation of community and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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