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Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the words “sixseven” during lessons in the latest meme-based phenomenon to spread through classrooms.

While some educators have chosen to calmly disregard the trend, different educators have accepted it. A group of educators share how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade tutor group about studying for their qualification tests in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for grades six, seven …” and the whole class started chuckling. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My initial reaction was that I’d made an reference to an offensive subject, or that they perceived something in my speech pattern that sounded funny. A bit frustrated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t mean – I got them to explain. To be honest, the description they offered didn’t make significant clarification – I continued to have no idea.

What might have rendered it particularly humorous was the considering motion I had made while speaking. I later discovered that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

To kill it off I try to mention it as often as I can. No approach diminishes a craze like this more thoroughly than an teacher attempting to participate.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Knowing about it assists so that you can avoid just blundering into remarks like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. If the digit pairing is unpreventable, having a strong classroom conduct rules and expectations on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can sanction it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Rules are important, but if learners embrace what the learning environment is doing, they will become more focused by the internet crazes (particularly in lesson time).

Concerning six-seven, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, except for an occasional eyebrow raise and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. If you give oxygen to it, it transforms into a blaze. I address it in the same way I would treat any other disruption.

There was the nine plus ten equals twenty-one phenomenon a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a different trend subsequently. It’s what kids do. Back when I was childhood, it was doing television personalities impersonations (honestly outside the learning space).

Young people are spontaneous, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a manner that guides them in the direction of the course that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is completing their studies with qualifications rather than a behaviour list lengthy for the employment of random numbers.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners use it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the identical community. It resembles a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an common expression they use. I don’t think it has any distinct significance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they want to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my classroom, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they call it out – similar to any different calling out is. It’s notably tricky in numeracy instruction. But my students at fifth grade are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly accepting of the rules, whereas I recognize that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.

I’ve been a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena continue for a few weeks. This craze will die out shortly – it invariably occurs, especially once their junior family members begin using it and it stops being trendy. Then they’ll be on to the next thing.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was mainly young men repeating it. I educated ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread among the less experienced learners. I was unaware what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I attended classes.

The crazes are always shifting. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my educational institute, but it failed to exist as much in the classroom. In contrast to “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in instruction, so learners were less prepared to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will smile with the students if I unintentionally utter it, striving to relate to them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. In my opinion they just want to enjoy that sensation of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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