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Around the UK, learners have been calling out the expression “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired craze to spread through schools.

Although some educators have decided to patiently overlook the phenomenon, some have embraced it. Five teachers share how they’re dealing.

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

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade students about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the whole class started chuckling. It took me totally off guard.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an reference to an offensive subject, or that they’d heard something in my speech pattern that appeared amusing. Slightly exasperated – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t mean – I got them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the description they then gave didn’t make significant clarification – I remained with little comprehension.

What could have made it particularly humorous was the considering movement I had made while speaking. Subsequently I found out that this typically pairs with “six-seven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the process of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of end the trend I attempt to reference it as much as I can. No approach reduces a craze like this more effectively than an teacher attempting to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it assists so that you can prevent just accidentally making remarks like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a firm school behaviour policy and expectations on learner demeanor proves beneficial, as you can sanction it as you would any other disruption, but I’ve not really had to do that. Policies are necessary, but if learners accept what the learning environment is implementing, they will become better concentrated by the viral phenomena (particularly in class periods).

With six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, aside from an occasional eyebrow raise and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. Should you offer oxygen to it, then it becomes a blaze. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any different disturbance.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one trend a few years ago, and there will no doubt be another craze after this. That’s children’s behavior. Back when I was childhood, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impressions (honestly outside the classroom).

Students are unpredictable, and In my opinion it falls to the teacher to respond in a way that steers them back to the direction that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is completing their studies with academic achievements rather than a conduct report lengthy for the use of random numbers.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students utilize it like a bonding chant in the playground: a pupil shouts it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s similar to a verbal exchange or a football chant – an agreed language they use. I don’t think it has any distinct significance to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they want to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, though – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – similar to any other verbal interruption is. It’s especially difficult in maths lessons. But my students at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re fairly accepting of the rules, whereas I recognize that at teen education it might be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a educator for a decade and a half, and these crazes persist for a month or so. This craze will diminish soon – they always do, especially once their junior family members begin using it and it stops being cool. Then they’ll be focused on the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while instructing in English at a international school. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was common with the less experienced learners. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was simply an internet trend similar to when I attended classes.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a well-known trend at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the learning environment. Unlike “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in instruction, so pupils were less able to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to relate to them and understand that it is just contemporary trends. In my opinion they merely seek to feel that sense of belonging and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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