‘It’s impossible not to smile’: a quintet of UK teachers on coping with ‘‘67’ in the school environment

Across the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the expression “sixseven” during instruction in the most recent internet-inspired phenomenon to spread through educational institutions.

Whereas some teachers have decided to stoically ignore the craze, some have incorporated it. Several instructors explain how they’re dealing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

During September, I had been talking to my eleventh grade students about studying for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It took me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an allusion to something rude, or that they’d heard an element of my speech pattern that sounded funny. Somewhat exasperated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I got them to elaborate. To be honest, the clarification they offered failed to create much difference – I continued to have minimal understanding.

What could have caused it to be especially amusing was the considering gesture I had performed during speaking. I later found out that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: I meant it to help convey the process of me thinking aloud.

To end the trend I attempt to reference it as much as I can. No approach deflates a craze like this more emphatically than an grown-up striving to participate.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it aids so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the numerical sequence is unavoidable, having a firm school behaviour policy and expectations on pupil behavior really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disturbance, but I’ve not really had to do that. Policies are important, but if learners buy into what the learning environment is practicing, they’ll be less distracted by the internet crazes (particularly in class periods).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, other than for an occasional eyebrow raise and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. Should you offer attention to it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any additional interruption.

There was the mathematical meme phenomenon a few years ago, and there will no doubt be another craze following this. This is typical youth activity. When I was growing up, it was performing television personalities mimicry (honestly outside the school environment).

Students are unpredictable, and In my opinion it falls to the teacher to react in a way that redirects them in the direction of the direction that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, with luck, is completing their studies with certificates instead of a behaviour list extensive for the use of random numbers.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners employ it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a student calls 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 distinct meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a phenomenon to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they want to be included in it.

It’s banned in my learning environment, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – identical to any different shouting out is. It’s notably challenging in maths lessons. But my class at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite compliant with the guidelines, whereas I understand that at teen education it may be a different matter.

I have worked as a educator for a decade and a half, and these crazes continue for a few weeks. This craze will diminish in the near future – they always do, particularly once their little brothers and sisters commence repeating it and it’s no longer fashionable. Afterward they shall be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mainly boys saying it. I taught teenagers and it was common among the junior students. I had no idea what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was at school.

These trends are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the whiteboard in lessons, so students were less prepared to adopt it.

I just ignore it, or sometimes I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to understand them and recognize that it’s merely contemporary trends. In my opinion they just want to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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Sandra Hill
Sandra Hill

A seasoned casino strategist with over a decade of experience in slot gaming and player psychology.