‘It’s impossible not to smile’: five UK teachers on dealing with ‘six-seven’ in the classroom

Around the UK, learners have been exclaiming the expression ““six-seven” during lessons in the newest internet-inspired trend to take over educational institutions.

Whereas some instructors have opted to stoically ignore the craze, different educators have incorporated it. Five instructors share how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my secondary school students about studying for their GCSE exams in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in relation to, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to results six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an reference to an offensive subject, or that they perceived an element of my accent that seemed humorous. Somewhat annoyed – but honestly intrigued and aware that they had no intention of being hurtful – I persuaded them to explain. Honestly, the explanation they then gave didn’t provide much difference – I remained with no idea.

What might have made it particularly humorous was the weighing-up motion I had performed during speaking. I later learned that this often accompanies “six-seven”: I meant it to help convey the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

To end the trend I try to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing diminishes a trend like this more thoroughly than an teacher trying to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Understanding it aids so that you can steer clear of just blundering into comments like “well, there were 6, 7 hundred unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the numerical sequence is inevitable, maintaining a strong classroom conduct rules and standards on pupil behavior is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any different disruption, but I rarely needed to implement that. Policies are one thing, but if pupils buy into what the learning environment is implementing, they’ll be more focused by the viral phenomena (at least in class periods).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t wasted any lesson time, except for an periodic raised eyebrow and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. Should you offer focus on it, it transforms into a blaze. I handle it in the identical manner I would manage any additional disruption.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a previous period, and undoubtedly there will emerge a new phenomenon after this. It’s what kids do. When I was youth, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impressions (truthfully outside the learning space).

Young people are spontaneous, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a way that redirects them toward the course that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with qualifications instead of a disciplinary record lengthy for the use of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children employ it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It resembles a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an shared vocabulary they share. In my view it has any specific significance to them; they merely recognize it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the current trend is, they want to feel part of it.

It’s banned in my classroom, though – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – similar to any additional calling out is. It’s notably 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 appreciate that at high school it may be a different matter.

I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena continue for a few weeks. This trend will fade away soon – this consistently happens, notably once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it’s no longer cool. Subsequently they will be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I started noticing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mainly boys saying it. I educated ages 12 to 18 and it was common among the less experienced learners. I was unaware what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it failed to exist as much in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the chalkboard in lessons, so learners were less equipped to embrace it.

I just ignore it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to relate to them and appreciate that it is just contemporary trends. I think they simply desire to feel that sense of belonging and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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