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Throughout the UK, students have been shouting out the words ““six-seven” during lessons in the latest internet-inspired craze to take over classrooms.

Although some teachers have chosen to calmly disregard the trend, some have embraced it. A group of teachers explain how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Back in September, I had been addressing my secondary school students about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in connection with, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It caught me completely by surprise.

My initial reaction was that I had created an allusion to something rude, or that they’d heard an element of my accent that appeared amusing. A bit exasperated – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I persuaded them to elaborate. Honestly, the clarification they then gave failed to create significant clarification – I remained with little comprehension.

What possibly made it extra funny was the evaluating motion I had executed while speaking. I later found out that this typically pairs with “six-seven”: I meant it to assist in expressing the act of me speaking my mind.

In order to kill it off I attempt to mention it as much as I can. Nothing diminishes a craze like this more thoroughly than an grown-up trying to join in.

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

Knowing about it assists so that you can prevent just accidentally making comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is inevitable, having a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and expectations on learner demeanor proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any additional interruption, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Guidelines are important, but if students buy into what the school is implementing, they’ll be less distracted by the online trends (especially in class periods).

Regarding 67, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, except for an occasional eyebrow raise and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide attention to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I address it in the same way I would manage any other interruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a previous period, and there will no doubt be another craze subsequently. It’s what kids do. During my own growing up, it was doing Kevin and Perry impressions (admittedly away from the classroom).

Young people are unpredictable, and In my opinion it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a way that steers them back to the direction that will help them where they need to go, which, hopefully, is graduating with academic achievements as opposed to a conduct report a mile long for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners use it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a pupil shouts it and the others respond to indicate they’re part of the same group. It resembles a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they use. In my view it has any distinct meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, though – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – identical to any additional calling out is. It’s particularly difficult in numeracy instruction. But my class at year 5 are pre-teens, so they’re fairly adherent to the regulations, while I understand that at secondary [school] it may be a different matter.

I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and such trends continue for three or four weeks. This craze will diminish soon – it invariably occurs, particularly once their younger siblings begin using it and it ceases to be cool. Afterward they shall be on to the next thing.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mostly boys saying it. I taught teenagers and it was prevalent among the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was simply an internet trend similar to when I was at school.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my training school, but it failed to appear as frequently in the learning environment. Unlike ““67”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the board in instruction, so pupils were less prepared to pick up on it.

I simply disregard it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to relate to them and understand that it’s merely pop culture. I think they simply desire to feel that sense of community and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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