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Throughout the UK, students have been shouting out the phrase ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent viral craze to sweep across classrooms.

Although some instructors have chosen to patiently overlook the craze, some have embraced it. A group of educators explain how they’re managing.

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

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my year 11 students about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in reference to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the whole class burst out laughing. It caught me totally off guard.

My first thought was that I had created an hint at an offensive subject, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that sounded funny. Somewhat exasperated – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be mean – I persuaded them to explain. To be honest, the explanation they provided didn’t provide greater understanding – I still had minimal understanding.

What possibly rendered it extra funny was the weighing-up gesture I had made while speaking. I later discovered that this often accompanies ““67”: I meant it to assist in expressing the process of me speaking my mind.

To end the trend I try to bring it up as much as I can. No strategy deflates a craze like this more effectively than an grown-up attempting to join in.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it assists so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is inevitable, having a firm classroom conduct rules and standards on learner demeanor really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any different disturbance, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Policies are necessary, but if pupils embrace what the school is doing, they will become more focused by the viral phenomena (at least in instructional hours).

Regarding 67, I haven’t sacrificed any lesson time, other than for an infrequent raised eyebrow and stating ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. Should you offer focus on it, then it becomes a blaze. I address it in the same way I would handle any additional disturbance.

There was the mathematical meme craze a previous period, and there will no doubt be a new phenomenon subsequently. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was growing up, it was doing television personalities impressions (honestly away from the learning space).

Young people are unpredictable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to behave in a approach that steers them in the direction of the path that will get them where they need to go, which, with luck, is completing their studies with certificates instead of a disciplinary record lengthy for the utilization of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners use it like a unifying phrase in the playground: one says it and the remaining students reply to show they are the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a football chant – an agreed language they share. In my view it has any specific meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they want to be included in it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they shout it out – similar to any additional calling out is. It’s especially challenging in maths lessons. But my class at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re fairly compliant with the regulations, whereas I recognize that at teen education it could be a different matter.

I’ve been a educator for a decade and a half, and these crazes continue for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will die out in the near future – it invariably occurs, particularly once their younger siblings begin using it and it stops being cool. Subsequently they will be focused on the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I first detected it in August, while educating in English language at a language institute. It was mostly boys uttering it. I educated teenagers and it was prevalent within the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a well-known trend during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the classroom. Unlike “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the chalkboard in instruction, so students were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, striving to empathise with them and appreciate that it is just contemporary trends. I believe they merely seek to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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