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

Around the UK, learners have been calling out the expression “sixseven” during classes in the most recent meme-based craze to sweep across schools.

Whereas some teachers have chosen to patiently overlook the phenomenon, others have accepted it. Five instructors explain how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been addressing my secondary school class about preparing for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in connection with, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for grades six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It surprised me totally off guard.

My initial reaction was that I might have delivered an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived something in my accent that seemed humorous. A bit exasperated – but truly interested and mindful that they weren’t trying to be mean – I got them to explain. Honestly, the explanation they then gave failed to create significant clarification – I remained with little comprehension.

What could have caused it to be particularly humorous was the evaluating gesture I had performed during speaking. I later discovered that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I meant it to help convey the act of me thinking aloud.

In order to end the trend I aim to reference it as much as I can. No approach diminishes a trend like this more effectively than an teacher trying to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Being aware of it aids so that you can avoid just unintentionally stating remarks like “indeed, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is unpreventable, having a rock-solid classroom conduct rules and expectations on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any additional interruption, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Guidelines are necessary, but if learners accept what the school is doing, they will remain more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in class periods).

Regarding 67, I haven’t sacrificed any teaching periods, except for an infrequent quizzical look and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. If you give oxygen to it, it evolves into an inferno. I address it in the identical manner I would handle any additional interruption.

Earlier occurred the 9 + 10 = 21 trend a previous period, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon following this. This is typical youth activity. During my own childhood, it was performing Kevin and Perry impersonations (truthfully outside the classroom).

Children are unforeseeable, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a manner that redirects them in the direction of the direction that will get them where they need to go, which, with luck, is coming out with academic achievements rather than a disciplinary record extensive for the employment of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Young learners utilize it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: one says it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It’s like a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an agreed language they share. I don’t think it has any specific importance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. No matter what the latest craze is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my classroom, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they shout it out – identical to any additional calling out is. It’s particularly tricky in maths lessons. But my class at year 5 are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively adherent to the guidelines, while I recognize that at teen education it may be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena persist for a few weeks. This trend will diminish in the near future – this consistently happens, notably once their junior family members begin using it and it’s no longer cool. Subsequently they will be focused on the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mainly male students uttering it. I taught ages 12 to 18 and it was widespread among the younger pupils. I was unaware what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was simply an internet trend akin to when I was at school.

These trends are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the educational setting. In contrast to ““67”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the board in instruction, so learners were less able to adopt it.

I just ignore it, or sometimes I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, trying to understand them and understand that it is just pop culture. I think they simply desire to enjoy that sensation of belonging and friendship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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