‘You just have to laugh’: five UK educators on coping with ‘‘67’ in the classroom

Across the UK, school pupils have been calling out the expression ““six-seven” during classes in the newest internet-inspired craze to take over schools.

While some educators have chosen to calmly disregard the trend, others have embraced it. Five educators describe how they’re managing.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade tutor group about studying for their qualification tests in June. It escapes me precisely what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It took me totally off guard.

My initial reaction was that I had created an reference to something rude, or that they perceived an element of my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Somewhat frustrated – but genuinely curious and mindful that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I got them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the description they offered failed to create greater understanding – I continued to have minimal understanding.

What possibly rendered it especially amusing was the considering motion I had made while speaking. I have since learned that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I had intended it to aid in demonstrating the action of me speaking my mind.

In order to end the trend I aim to mention it as often as I can. Nothing reduces a phenomenon like this more emphatically than an teacher trying to participate.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it helps so that you can avoid just blundering into remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is inevitable, possessing a firm classroom conduct rules and standards on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I rarely been required to take that action. Rules are one thing, but if learners buy into what the educational institution is doing, they will remain more focused by the internet crazes (particularly in instructional hours).

Regarding 67, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, except for an periodic quizzical look and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. When you provide attention to it, it evolves into a wildfire. I handle it in the same way I would treat any other disturbance.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 phenomenon a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a different trend subsequently. It’s what kids do. When I was youth, it was imitating comedy characters impersonations (admittedly away from the school environment).

Children are unpredictable, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a way that guides them in the direction of the course that will help them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is coming out with academic achievements instead of a disciplinary record extensive for the employment of random numbers.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

Young learners employ it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: a pupil shouts it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It resembles a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an common expression they share. I don’t think it has any distinct meaning to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they seek to feel part of it.

It’s prohibited in my classroom, however – it triggers a reminder if they shout it out – just like any other calling out is. It’s particularly tricky in numeracy instruction. But my pupils at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively compliant with the guidelines, whereas I understand that at secondary [school] it might be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a educator for a decade and a half, and these phenomena last for a few weeks. This craze will die out soon – this consistently happens, particularly once their junior family members commence repeating it and it ceases to be trendy. Then they’ll be engaged with the following phenomenon.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mainly male students saying it. I educated ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread within the younger pupils. I had no idea its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was just a meme similar to when I was a student.

These trends are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a familiar phenomenon back when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the classroom. Unlike ““67”, “skibidi toilet” was never written on the whiteboard in lessons, so learners were less able to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will smile with the students if I accidentally say it, attempting to understand them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. I think they simply desire to experience that feeling of belonging and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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Edward Meyer
Edward Meyer

Elara is a digital marketing expert with a passion for community engagement and online event management.

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