‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: several UK educators on handling ‘six-seven’ in the school environment

Across the UK, learners have been exclaiming the phrase ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired phenomenon to spread through classrooms.

While some teachers have chosen to patiently overlook the craze, some have embraced it. Five educators explain how they’re dealing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade students about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall exactly what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It took me completely by surprise.

My first thought was that I had created an reference to an offensive subject, or that they perceived a quality in my accent that seemed humorous. A bit frustrated – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t trying to be mean – I got them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the clarification they offered didn’t make significant clarification – I still had little comprehension.

What might have made it especially amusing was the considering gesture I had performed during speaking. I later discovered that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

To end the trend I attempt to bring it up as often as I can. No strategy deflates a craze like this more emphatically than an teacher striving to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Understanding it assists so that you can avoid just unintentionally stating statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is unpreventable, possessing a rock-solid student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any additional disruption, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Guidelines are important, but if pupils buy into what the school is practicing, they will become more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in lesson time).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any lesson time, except for an periodic raised eyebrow and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. When you provide focus on it, it evolves into a wildfire. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would handle any additional disruption.

Previously existed the nine plus ten equals twenty-one craze a previous period, and there will no doubt be a new phenomenon subsequently. That’s children’s behavior. Back when I was childhood, it was performing Kevin and Perry impersonations (truthfully out of the school environment).

Students are unpredictable, and I think 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, hopefully, is coming out with certificates rather than a disciplinary record lengthy for the utilization of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

The children employ it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: a pupil shouts it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It resembles a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an shared vocabulary they use. In my view it has any particular meaning to them; they merely recognize it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the newest phenomenon is, they want to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my classroom, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they shout it out – similar to any different verbal interruption is. It’s notably challenging in maths lessons. But my class at fifth grade are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re quite accepting of the rules, although I recognize that at teen education it may be a distinct scenario.

I have worked as a teacher for fifteen years, and these phenomena persist for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will die out in the near future – they always do, especially once their junior family members commence repeating it and it’s no longer trendy. Subsequently they will be engaged with the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mostly male students saying it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was common with the younger pupils. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

The crazes are always shifting. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme back when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in lessons, so learners were less able to adopt it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, trying to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they simply desire to enjoy that sensation of community and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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Matthew Hall
Matthew Hall

Elara is a tech journalist with a passion for exploring emerging technologies and their impact on society.