‘It’s impossible not to smile’: several UK teachers on dealing with ‘six-seven’ in the educational setting

Across the UK, students have been exclaiming the expression “sixseven” during classes in the newest meme-based trend to sweep across educational institutions.

While some instructors have decided to calmly disregard the phenomenon, others have incorporated it. Several educators share how they’re dealing.

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

During September, I had been speaking with my year 11 tutor group about getting ready for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re targeting marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It caught me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an hint at something rude, or that they detected a quality in my accent that appeared amusing. Somewhat frustrated – but truly interested and conscious that they had no intention of being mean – I asked them to explain. Frankly speaking, the explanation they then gave didn’t provide significant clarification – I continued to have little comprehension.

What possibly rendered it particularly humorous was the weighing-up movement I had executed while speaking. I have since found out that this often accompanies ““67”: I meant it to assist in expressing the act of me verbalizing thoughts.

In order to kill it off I aim to reference it as often as I can. Nothing diminishes a trend like this more effectively than an adult trying to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it helps so that you can avoid just unintentionally stating comments like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is inevitable, having a strong classroom conduct rules and requirements on student conduct is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any different interruption, but I’ve not really needed to implement that. Policies are important, but if pupils embrace what the learning environment is practicing, they’ll be more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in lesson time).

With 67, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic 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 same way I would handle any additional disturbance.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 craze a previous period, and certainly there will appear another craze following this. It’s what kids do. When I was childhood, it was doing Kevin and Perry impersonations (truthfully away from the school environment).

Students are unpredictable, and I think it falls to the teacher to behave in a approach that steers them in the direction of the direction that will enable them where they need to go, which, hopefully, is completing their studies with certificates instead of a disciplinary record lengthy for the utilization of random numbers.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children utilize it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It’s like a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they share. In my view it has any particular meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, however – it’s a warning if they shout it out – similar to any additional calling out is. It’s particularly difficult in mathematics classes. But my students at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re fairly compliant with the rules, while I appreciate that at secondary [school] it may be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a instructor for fifteen years, and such trends last for a few weeks. This phenomenon will diminish in the near future – it invariably occurs, notably once their little brothers and sisters commence repeating it and it ceases to be trendy. Then they’ll be engaged with the next thing.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was primarily boys repeating it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was common among the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon akin to when I was at school.

The crazes are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my educational institute, but it failed to appear as frequently in the educational setting. Unlike “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the board in lessons, so students were less equipped to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to understand them and appreciate that it’s simply pop culture. I believe they simply desire to experience that feeling of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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Angela Munoz
Angela Munoz

A passionate gamer and tech writer with over a decade of experience covering esports and game development trends.