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Across the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the phrase ““67” during lessons in the most recent meme-based trend to take over schools.

Whereas some teachers have opted to calmly disregard the phenomenon, some have accepted it. A group of instructors describe how they’re coping.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Back in September, I had been talking to my year 11 tutor group about studying for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the whole class started chuckling. It took me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I’d made an reference to an inappropriate topic, or that they detected an element of my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Slightly exasperated – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I asked them to clarify. Honestly, the explanation they then gave failed to create greater understanding – I still had no idea.

What might have made it extra funny was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I have since discovered that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to help convey the process of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of end the trend I attempt to bring it up as much as I can. Nothing deflates a trend like this more emphatically than an teacher attempting to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it aids so that you can steer clear of just blundering into remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is unavoidable, possessing a firm school behaviour policy and requirements on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can address it as you would any different disruption, but I rarely had to do that. Guidelines are necessary, but if students buy into what the learning environment is practicing, they’ll be more focused by the internet crazes (at least in lesson time).

Regarding six-seven, I haven’t wasted any teaching periods, other than for an infrequent raised eyebrow and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. Should you offer attention to it, then it becomes a wildfire. I address it in the same way I would handle any different disturbance.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme craze a few years ago, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze after this. It’s what kids do. Back when I was youth, it was doing television personalities impressions (honestly out of the school environment).

Children are unforeseeable, and I think it falls to the teacher to respond in a way that steers them in the direction of the course that will enable them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with qualifications instead of a conduct report extensive for the employment of arbitrary digits.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students employ it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: a pupil shouts it and the remaining students reply to show they are the same group. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a football chant – an common expression they use. In my view it has any distinct importance to them; they simply understand it’s a thing to say. Whatever the latest craze is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, however – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – identical to any other calling out is. It’s notably challenging in numeracy instruction. But my pupils at year 5 are pre-teens, so they’re quite compliant with the rules, while I appreciate that at high school it could be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and these phenomena last for a few weeks. This trend will fade away in the near future – this consistently happens, notably once their younger siblings start saying it and it stops being trendy. Subsequently they will be engaged with the subsequent trend.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I first detected it in August, while instructing in English at a language institute. It was mostly young men uttering it. I educated teenagers and it was common with the younger pupils. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was simply an internet trend comparable to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. ““Skibidi” was a well-known trend back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really exist as much in the educational setting. In contrast to “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the board in instruction, so students were less equipped to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will smile with the students if I inadvertently mention it, striving to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s merely pop culture. I think they merely seek to experience that feeling of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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