‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: a quintet of UK teachers on coping with ‘six-seven’ in the educational setting

Across the UK, learners have been exclaiming the words “sixseven” during instruction in the newest meme-based trend to spread through educational institutions.

While some teachers have opted to calmly disregard the craze, others have incorporated it. Several teachers describe how they’re coping.

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

Back in September, I had been speaking with my year 11 tutor group about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. It escapes me exactly what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re targeting grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an allusion to something rude, or that they detected something in my speech pattern that sounded funny. A bit exasperated – but genuinely curious and aware that they had no intention of being hurtful – I got them to clarify. Frankly speaking, the description they provided didn’t provide much difference – I continued to have no idea.

What could have made it particularly humorous was the considering motion I had executed while speaking. I later found out that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I meant it to help convey the act of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to end the trend I aim to reference it as often as I can. No strategy reduces a trend like this more emphatically than an teacher trying to get involved.

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

Being aware of it assists so that you can prevent just accidentally making remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. When the digit pairing is inevitable, possessing a firm student discipline system and requirements on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disruption, but I rarely been required to take that action. Guidelines are necessary, but if pupils buy into what the learning environment is practicing, they will become more focused by the online trends (at least in class periods).

With six-seven, I haven’t lost any lesson time, aside from an occasional raised eyebrow and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide attention to it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the identical manner I would treat any additional disruption.

Previously existed the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a while back, and certainly there will appear another craze following this. It’s what kids do. During my own childhood, it was performing Kevin and Perry mimicry (admittedly outside the school environment).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a approach that redirects them back to the path that will enable them where they need to go, which, hopefully, is completing their studies with certificates instead of a conduct report lengthy for the utilization of random numbers.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children use it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the remaining students reply to show they are the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they possess. I don’t think it has any distinct meaning to them; they simply understand it’s a trend to say. Whatever the newest phenomenon is, they seek to experience belonging to it.

It’s prohibited in my teaching space, however – it’s a warning if they shout it out – identical to any different shouting out is. It’s especially difficult in mathematics classes. But my pupils at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re relatively accepting of the guidelines, although I understand that at teen education it might be a different matter.

I have served as a educator for a decade and a half, and these phenomena continue for three or four weeks. This trend will fade away soon – this consistently happens, especially once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it ceases to be trendy. Then they’ll be focused on the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I first detected it in August, while educating in English language at a international school. It was mostly young men uttering it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was common with the junior students. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon akin to when I was at school.

The crazes are always shifting. “Skibidi toilet” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my training school, but it failed to appear as frequently in the classroom. Differing from ““sixseven”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less able to pick up on it.

I just ignore it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to empathise with them and recognize that it’s simply youth culture. In my opinion they simply desire to enjoy that sensation of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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Gregory Ward
Gregory Ward

A passionate tech enthusiast and gamer, sharing insights and reviews to help others navigate the digital world.

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