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Throughout the UK, learners have been shouting out the expression ““67” during instruction in the most recent internet-inspired craze to sweep across classrooms.

Although some educators have decided to calmly disregard the phenomenon, others have embraced it. Five teachers describe how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

During September, I had been addressing my secondary school tutor group about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in connection with, but I said something like “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It took me totally off guard.

My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they perceived a quality in my speech pattern that sounded funny. Slightly frustrated – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t hurtful – I persuaded them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the clarification they offered didn’t make much difference – I still had minimal understanding.

What might have caused it to be especially amusing was the weighing-up movement I had executed while speaking. Subsequently I learned that this often accompanies “six-seven”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the action of me verbalizing thoughts.

With the aim of kill it off I try to reference it as often as I can. Nothing reduces a craze like this more effectively than an teacher attempting to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it helps so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 million jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a rock-solid student discipline system and standards on student conduct is advantageous, as you can sanction it as you would any different interruption, but I’ve not really needed to implement that. Policies are necessary, but if learners buy into what the school is practicing, they will remain less distracted by the online trends (at least in instructional hours).

With six-seven, I haven’t wasted any lesson time, except for an occasional eyebrow raise and commenting ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. When you provide oxygen to it, it evolves into a wildfire. I treat it in the same way I would manage any additional disturbance.

Earlier occurred the nine plus ten equals twenty-one craze a previous period, and undoubtedly there will emerge a new phenomenon subsequently. It’s what kids do. When I was growing up, it was imitating television personalities mimicry (admittedly away from the classroom).

Children are unforeseeable, and In my opinion it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a way that redirects them back to the course that will enable them where they need to go, which, with luck, is coming out with certificates as opposed to a behaviour list extensive for the use of random numbers.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

Young learners employ it like a unifying phrase in the recreation area: a student calls it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the equivalent circle. It’s like a interactive chant or a stadium slogan – an common expression they share. I believe it has any particular importance to them; they just know it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, though – it results in a caution if they shout it out – identical to any different verbal interruption is. It’s particularly challenging in numeracy instruction. But my class at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re relatively adherent to the regulations, whereas I understand that at secondary [school] it might be a distinct scenario.

I have worked as a teacher for fifteen years, and such trends last for three or four weeks. This phenomenon will die out shortly – they always do, notably once their little brothers and sisters start saying it and it stops being cool. Afterward they shall be on to the following phenomenon.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I began observing it in August, while instructing in English at a foreign language school. It was primarily male students repeating it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was widespread with the less experienced learners. I had no idea what it was at the time, but as a young adult and I recognized it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I was a student.

Such phenomena are constantly changing. ““Skibidi” was a well-known trend back when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the classroom. Unlike ““67”, ““the skibidi trend” was never written on the chalkboard in instruction, so students were less able to pick up on it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, attempting to empathise with them and recognize that it’s simply youth culture. In my opinion they simply desire to experience that feeling of community and companionship.

‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’

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