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Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the phrase “sixseven” during lessons in the newest viral trend to spread through educational institutions.

While some educators have decided to stoically ignore the craze, some have incorporated it. A group of educators explain how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

During September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade students about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in reference to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an reference to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived an element of my speech pattern that appeared amusing. Somewhat frustrated – but honestly intrigued and conscious that they had no intention of being mean – I persuaded them to elaborate. Honestly, the description they then gave failed to create much difference – I remained with little comprehension.

What possibly rendered it particularly humorous was the considering motion I had executed while speaking. I later learned that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of kill it off I aim to reference it as frequently as I can. No strategy deflates a phenomenon like this more thoroughly than an teacher attempting to participate.

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

Knowing about it aids so that you can avoid just blundering into statements like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a strong school behaviour policy and standards on student conduct really helps, as you can sanction it as you would any other interruption, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Rules are one thing, but if pupils accept what the educational institution is practicing, they’ll be better concentrated by the internet crazes (especially in lesson time).

With sixseven, I haven’t sacrificed any lesson time, aside from an infrequent quizzical look and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. Should you offer oxygen to it, it evolves into a blaze. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any different disturbance.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme phenomenon a few years ago, and there will no doubt be a different trend following this. That’s children’s behavior. Back when I was childhood, it was doing comedy characters mimicry (honestly away from the school environment).

Children are unpredictable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to respond in a manner that redirects them toward the path that will enable them to their educational goals, which, with luck, is graduating with qualifications as opposed to a conduct report lengthy for the use of random numbers.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

The children use it like a connecting expression in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the others respond to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s like a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an common expression they share. I don’t think it has any specific significance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my learning environment, though – it results in a caution if they exclaim it – just like any other calling out is. It’s particularly challenging in mathematics classes. But my pupils at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re quite accepting of the rules, while I appreciate that at secondary [school] it might be a separate situation.

I have worked as a instructor for fifteen years, and these crazes continue for three or four weeks. This trend will fade away shortly – it invariably occurs, particularly once their little brothers and sisters commence repeating it and it’s no longer fashionable. Afterward they shall be engaged with the following phenomenon.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was primarily young men repeating it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent with the less experienced learners. I was unaware its meaning at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a well-known trend back when I was at my training school, but it failed to occur as often in the learning environment. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in instruction, so students were less prepared to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will laugh with them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to relate to them and understand that it’s merely contemporary trends. I believe they merely seek to feel that sense of belonging and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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