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Around the UK, school pupils have been calling out the words “sixseven” during classes in the most recent meme-based trend to spread through schools.

Although some educators have opted to calmly disregard the trend, some have incorporated it. Several teachers explain how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Back in September, I had been speaking with my secondary school students about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall precisely what it was in connection with, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It surprised me entirely unexpectedly.

My first thought was that I had created an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived a quality in my accent that seemed humorous. Slightly annoyed – but truly interested and conscious that they weren’t malicious – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the description they provided didn’t provide significant clarification – I remained with no idea.

What could have caused it to be extra funny was the evaluating motion I had executed while speaking. I have since found out that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the process of me speaking my mind.

To eliminate it I aim to reference it as often as I can. No approach reduces a trend like this more thoroughly than an teacher trying to join in.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Understanding it aids so that you can avoid just blundering into comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. When the digit pairing is unpreventable, possessing a firm school behaviour policy and standards on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any other disturbance, but I haven’t actually needed to implement that. Policies are important, but if students accept what the school is practicing, they will become less distracted by the internet crazes (particularly in instructional hours).

Concerning sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, except for an occasional quizzical look and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give focus on it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the identical manner I would treat any different disturbance.

Previously existed the mathematical meme craze a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a different trend following this. That’s children’s behavior. When I was growing up, it was imitating Kevin and Perry impersonations (admittedly out of the classroom).

Young people are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a manner that guides them in the direction of the direction that will get them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with qualifications instead of a behaviour list a mile long for the utilization of meaningless numerals.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Students use it like a connecting expression in the recreation area: one says it and the remaining students reply to show they are the same group. It’s like a verbal exchange or a football chant – an agreed language they use. I believe it has any particular importance to them; they simply understand it’s a trend to say. Whatever the current trend is, they seek to experience belonging to it.

It’s banned in my teaching space, though – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – similar to any other verbal interruption is. It’s particularly tricky in mathematics classes. But my pupils at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re fairly accepting of the regulations, while I understand that at teen education it may be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a teacher for a decade and a half, and these crazes persist for a month or so. This craze will fade away soon – it invariably occurs, especially once their junior family members begin using it and it’s no longer fashionable. Then they’ll be on to the following phenomenon.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was common among the junior students. I was unaware what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was simply an internet trend akin to when I attended classes.

These trends are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the educational setting. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less equipped to embrace it.

I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to understand them and recognize that it’s merely contemporary trends. I believe they simply desire to enjoy that sensation of togetherness and friendship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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