‘You just have to laugh’: five UK instructors on coping with ‘six-seven’ in the classroom

Across the UK, students have been calling out the expression “sixseven” during classes in the most recent meme-based craze to sweep across educational institutions.

Whereas some instructors have opted to stoically ignore the trend, some have embraced it. A group of teachers explain how they’re dealing.

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

During September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade students about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It surprised me totally off guard.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an hint at an inappropriate topic, or that they detected a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Slightly exasperated – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t malicious – I persuaded them to elaborate. Honestly, the description they provided didn’t provide greater understanding – I continued to have little comprehension.

What possibly made it especially amusing was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I have since discovered that this typically pairs with ““67”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to eliminate it I aim to reference it as frequently as I can. Nothing deflates a trend like this more emphatically than an grown-up trying to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it helps so that you can prevent just unintentionally stating statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the digit pairing is unpreventable, maintaining a strong school behaviour policy and requirements on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any different interruption, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Guidelines are important, but if students embrace what the educational institution is doing, they will remain less distracted by the viral phenomena (particularly in class periods).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, except for an occasional raised eyebrow and saying ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give focus on it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any other disruption.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme trend a few years ago, and certainly there will appear another craze following this. It’s what kids do. Back when I was childhood, it was doing television personalities mimicry (honestly outside the school environment).

Children are spontaneous, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a manner that steers them in the direction of the direction that will get them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with qualifications instead of a disciplinary record a mile long for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children utilize it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: one says it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they possess. In my view it has any specific importance to them; they simply understand it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they shout it out – just like any additional shouting out is. It’s especially challenging in maths lessons. But my pupils at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively compliant with the regulations, while I appreciate that at teen education it may be a distinct scenario.

I have worked as a teacher for 15 years, and these phenomena last for a few weeks. This trend will fade away soon – it invariably occurs, especially once their younger siblings begin using it and it stops being cool. Afterward they shall be focused on the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a international school. It was primarily boys uttering it. I instructed teenagers and it was common with the younger pupils. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon akin to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon back when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the educational setting. Differing from ““sixseven”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the board in instruction, so students were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. I believe they merely seek to experience that feeling of community and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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Michael Jones
Michael Jones

A passionate writer and digital storyteller, Elara shares her expertise on creative living and innovative trends.

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