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Across the UK, students have been shouting out the expression ““67” during lessons in the latest viral phenomenon to take over classrooms.

While some educators have opted to calmly disregard the phenomenon, others have embraced it. A group of teachers share how they’re managing.

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

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade students about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in reference to, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It took me entirely unexpectedly.

My immediate assumption was that I had created an hint at an inappropriate topic, or that they’d heard an element of my accent that appeared amusing. A bit frustrated – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t hurtful – I persuaded them to elaborate. To be honest, the clarification they offered didn’t make much difference – I still had no idea.

What possibly caused it to be extra funny was the weighing-up motion I had made while speaking. I later found out that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the action of me speaking my mind.

In order to end the trend I try to mention it as often as I can. No approach deflates a trend like this more effectively than an adult striving to participate.

‘If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno’

Being aware of it aids so that you can prevent just accidentally making comments like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the digit pairing is unavoidable, maintaining a strong student discipline system and expectations on student conduct proves beneficial, as you can address it as you would any different disturbance, but I rarely been required to take that action. Rules are necessary, but if learners embrace what the learning environment is implementing, they will remain more focused by the online trends (especially in lesson time).

With sixseven, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, aside from an occasional eyebrow raise and stating ““correct, those are digits, good job”. Should you offer oxygen to it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the equivalent fashion I would manage any other disruption.

Earlier occurred the mathematical meme trend a previous period, and undoubtedly there will emerge a different trend after this. This is typical youth activity. During my own childhood, it was doing comedy characters impersonations (admittedly out of the learning space).

Children are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a approach that guides them toward the path that will get them to their educational goals, which, hopefully, is graduating with certificates as opposed to a behaviour list lengthy for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children utilize it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: one says it and the others respond to show they are the identical community. It’s similar to a call-and-response or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they share. In my view it has any specific significance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they seek to be included in it.

It’s banned in my learning environment, though – it’s a warning if they call it out – identical to any additional verbal interruption is. It’s notably tricky in mathematics classes. But my pupils at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re quite accepting of the rules, although I appreciate that at teen education it might be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, and these phenomena last for a month or so. This craze will diminish shortly – this consistently happens, especially once their little brothers and sisters begin using it and it’s no longer fashionable. Afterward they shall be engaged with the next thing.

‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’

I started noticing it in August, while educating in English language at a language institute. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was common among the younger pupils. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon akin to when I attended classes.

These trends are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the classroom. Unlike ““67”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the chalkboard in instruction, so students were less prepared to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, attempting to relate to them and understand that it’s simply youth culture. I believe they just want to feel that sense of community and companionship.

‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’

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