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Throughout the UK, learners have been calling out the words “sixseven” during instruction in the most recent meme-based phenomenon to spread through classrooms.

Although some educators have decided to calmly disregard the phenomenon, others have accepted it. Five educators describe how they’re dealing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my year 11 students about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall precisely what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It took me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I’d made an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they’d heard an element of my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Somewhat annoyed – but genuinely curious and conscious that they had no intention of being malicious – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the clarification they then gave failed to create greater understanding – I still had little comprehension.

What might have rendered it especially amusing was the considering motion I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this often accompanies “six-seven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

To kill it off I attempt to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing deflates a phenomenon like this more effectively than an grown-up attempting to participate.

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

Knowing about it aids so that you can steer clear of just blundering into remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 hundred unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the numerical sequence is inevitable, maintaining a firm school behaviour policy and standards on student conduct is advantageous, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Guidelines are one thing, but if learners accept what the school is implementing, they will remain less distracted by the online trends (especially in lesson time).

With six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, other than for an occasional eyebrow raise and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give attention to it, then it becomes a blaze. I treat it in the identical manner I would treat any other disturbance.

There was the mathematical meme trend a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze subsequently. It’s what kids do. Back when I was childhood, it was doing comedy characters impersonations (admittedly away from the classroom).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to behave in a way that steers them back to the path that will get them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is coming out with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record a mile long for the utilization of arbitrary digits.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners employ it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: one says 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 common expression they possess. I believe it has any distinct importance to them; they merely recognize it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the current trend is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – similar to any other verbal interruption is. It’s particularly challenging in maths lessons. But my pupils at year 5 are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite accepting of the regulations, whereas I appreciate that at high school it may be a distinct scenario.

I have worked as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these crazes continue for a few weeks. This phenomenon will die out soon – it invariably occurs, notably once their little brothers and sisters start saying it and it ceases to be cool. Subsequently they will be engaged with the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was primarily male students saying it. I taught teenagers and it was widespread with the younger pupils. I didn’t understand 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 continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really occur as often in the learning environment. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not scribbled on the chalkboard in lessons, so learners were less equipped to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, trying to relate to them and understand that it’s simply youth culture. I believe they merely seek to feel that sense of community and companionship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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