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Across the UK, learners have been calling out the expression ““67” during classes in the newest internet-inspired trend to take over schools.

Although some teachers have decided to stoically ignore the trend, some have embraced it. Five teachers explain how they’re dealing.

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

During September, I had been talking to my secondary school class about preparing for their qualification tests in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in relation to, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to results six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My initial reaction was that I might have delivered an hint at something rude, or that they perceived something in my accent that seemed humorous. Somewhat frustrated – but truly interested and mindful that they had no intention of being mean – I asked them to explain. Honestly, the clarification they provided failed to create significant clarification – I remained with no idea.

What could have made it extra funny was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I have since discovered that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me speaking my mind.

To eliminate it I try to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing reduces a phenomenon like this more emphatically than an grown-up attempting to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it aids so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is inevitable, having a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and expectations on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can sanction it as you would any additional disturbance, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Guidelines are one thing, but if learners buy into what the learning environment is implementing, they’ll be more focused by the internet crazes (especially in instructional hours).

With sixseven, I haven’t lost any lesson time, except for an occasional raised eyebrow and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide oxygen to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I address it in the identical manner I would manage any additional disturbance.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme craze a previous period, and there will no doubt be another craze following this. That’s children’s behavior. When I was childhood, it was imitating television personalities impressions (truthfully outside the learning space).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I think it falls to the teacher to respond in a way that steers them back to the course that will get them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is graduating with academic achievements rather than a behaviour list a mile long for the use of arbitrary digits.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students use it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the same group. It’s like a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an common expression they possess. In my view it has any specific importance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. Whatever the latest craze is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s prohibited in my learning environment, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they exclaim it – similar to any other verbal interruption is. It’s especially challenging in mathematics classes. But my pupils at year 5 are children aged nine to ten, so they’re fairly accepting of the guidelines, whereas I recognize that at high school it could be a different matter.

I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and such trends continue for a few weeks. This trend will diminish in the near future – they always do, notably once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it ceases to be cool. Subsequently they will be on to the following phenomenon.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a language institute. It was mainly male students uttering it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent within the junior students. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was at school.

The crazes are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme back when I was at my training school, but it failed to appear as frequently in the educational setting. Differing from ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the chalkboard in lessons, so students were less prepared to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, attempting to relate to them and understand that it’s merely contemporary trends. I think they merely seek to experience that feeling of belonging and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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