‘You just have to laugh’: a quintet of UK instructors on dealing with ‘six-seven’ in the classroom

Around the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the expression ““67” during classes in the most recent meme-based craze to take over schools.

While some educators have opted to stoically ignore the trend, different educators have embraced it. A group of teachers share how they’re dealing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Back in September, I had been talking to my eleventh grade students about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It took me totally off guard.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an reference to an offensive subject, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that sounded funny. A bit exasperated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they had no intention of being mean – I asked them to explain. Frankly speaking, the clarification they provided didn’t provide greater understanding – I still had no idea.

What might have rendered it particularly humorous was the considering motion I had executed while speaking. Subsequently I discovered that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to help convey the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of eliminate it I aim to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing deflates a trend like this more thoroughly than an adult attempting to get involved.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Understanding it assists so that you can prevent just unintentionally stating statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is unavoidable, possessing a firm school behaviour policy and standards on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any other disturbance, but I rarely had to do that. Policies are one thing, but if learners accept what the school is doing, they’ll be better concentrated by the internet crazes (at least in instructional hours).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic quizzical look and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide attention to it, it evolves into a wildfire. I address it in the identical manner I would manage any different interruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 craze a few years ago, and certainly there will appear another craze after this. It’s what kids do. Back when I was youth, it was doing comedy characters impressions (admittedly outside the learning space).

Young people are unpredictable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to respond in a approach that steers them back to the direction that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record lengthy for the employment of random numbers.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Students use it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: a pupil shouts it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It’s like a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they share. I don’t think it has any distinct importance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the newest phenomenon is, they want to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my teaching space, though – it’s a warning if they call it out – just like any different verbal interruption is. It’s notably difficult in mathematics classes. But my pupils at year 5 are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re quite accepting of the guidelines, although I recognize that at high school it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a educator for fifteen years, and such trends continue for three or four weeks. This trend will fade away shortly – they always do, particularly once their junior family members start saying it and it’s no longer fashionable. Subsequently they will be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mostly boys saying it. I educated ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent within the younger pupils. I was unaware its significance at the time, but being twenty-four and I understood it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was at school.

These trends are continuously evolving. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t really occur as often in the classroom. In contrast to ““sixseven”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the whiteboard in lessons, so students were less prepared to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to relate to them and recognize that it is just youth culture. I believe they simply desire to feel that sense of togetherness and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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Erin Horton
Erin Horton

Elara is a passionate poet and creative writing coach, sharing her love for words and storytelling to inspire others.