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Throughout the UK, learners have been exclaiming the expression “sixseven” during instruction in the latest internet-inspired trend to take over schools.

Although some teachers have chosen to stoically ignore the trend, others have incorporated it. Several educators share how they’re dealing.

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

Back in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade class about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to results six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an hint at something rude, or that they detected something in my pronunciation that seemed humorous. Somewhat annoyed – but genuinely curious and conscious that they had no intention of being malicious – I got them to clarify. Frankly speaking, the description they provided didn’t provide much difference – I continued to have no idea.

What might have rendered it especially amusing was the evaluating gesture I had executed while speaking. I later found out that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I had intended it to help convey the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of end the trend I try to reference it as often as I can. No approach deflates a trend like this more effectively than an teacher trying to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Understanding it aids so that you can prevent just unintentionally stating statements like “indeed, there were 6, 7 hundred jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is unpreventable, maintaining a strong school behaviour policy and standards on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disturbance, but I’ve not really had to do that. Rules are important, but if pupils accept what the educational institution is implementing, they will become more focused by the internet crazes (especially in class periods).

Regarding sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an occasional quizzical look and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide attention to it, then it becomes an inferno. I treat it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any other disturbance.

Previously existed the mathematical meme trend a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. This is typical youth activity. When I was childhood, it was doing comedy characters mimicry (admittedly out of the learning space).

Young people are unpredictable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to behave in a manner that redirects them back to the course that will get them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is coming out with certificates as opposed to a disciplinary record extensive for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students employ it like a bonding chant in the playground: a student calls it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the equivalent circle. It resembles a call-and-response or a football chant – an common expression they use. I believe it has any specific importance to them; they just know it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the current trend is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s banned in my classroom, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they call it out – similar to any other calling out is. It’s particularly tricky in maths lessons. But my students at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re relatively compliant with the guidelines, whereas I recognize that at high school it may be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a teacher for 15 years, and these crazes last for a few weeks. This phenomenon will die out shortly – they always do, especially once their younger siblings start saying it and it’s no longer cool. Afterward they shall be on to the following phenomenon.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a foreign language school. It was mostly boys saying it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread within the younger pupils. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

Such phenomena are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a well-known trend at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was never written on the whiteboard in lessons, so students were less able to adopt it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, trying to understand them and appreciate that it’s merely contemporary trends. In my opinion they simply desire to experience that feeling of togetherness and camaraderie.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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