‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: a quintet of UK teachers on handling ‘six-seven’ in the classroom
Across the UK, students have been calling out the phrase ““six-seven” during lessons in the most recent internet-inspired craze to sweep across classrooms.
Whereas some teachers have opted to calmly disregard the craze, others have accepted it. Several educators explain how they’re managing.
‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’
Back in September, I had been speaking with my secondary school tutor group about studying for their GCSE exams in June. It escapes me exactly what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the entire group burst out laughing. It caught me totally off guard.
My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an allusion to something rude, or that they detected a quality in my speech pattern that sounded funny. A bit exasperated – but genuinely curious and conscious that they had no intention of being malicious – I asked them to clarify. Frankly speaking, the explanation they then gave failed to create much difference – I continued to have no idea.
What possibly caused it to be especially amusing was the weighing-up motion I had executed while speaking. I later learned that this frequently goes with ““sixseven”: My purpose was it to aid in demonstrating the process of me speaking my mind.
In order to kill it off I attempt to bring it up as often as I can. No strategy deflates a craze like this more effectively than an adult trying to get involved.
‘Providing attention fuels the fire’
Understanding it assists so that you can avoid just unintentionally stating comments like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the number combination is unpreventable, having a firm student discipline system and standards on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can address it as you would any additional disruption, but I’ve not really been required to take that action. Rules are important, but if students buy into what the school is practicing, they will remain better concentrated by the viral phenomena (particularly in class periods).
Concerning 67, I haven’t wasted any lesson time, other than for an infrequent eyebrow raise and saying ““indeed, those are numerals, excellent”. Should you offer focus on it, it transforms into a blaze. I address it in the equivalent fashion I would treat any different disruption.
Earlier occurred the mathematical meme phenomenon a few years ago, and undoubtedly there will emerge a new phenomenon following this. That’s children’s behavior. During my own youth, it was doing comedy characters impersonations (truthfully away from the classroom).
Children are unforeseeable, and I believe it’s an adult’s job to respond in a approach that steers them toward the course that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with certificates instead of a disciplinary record extensive for the employment of random numbers.
‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’
Young learners utilize it like a connecting expression in the recreation area: a student calls it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a football chant – an common expression they use. I don’t think it has any particular significance to them; they merely recognize it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they want to feel part of it.
It’s prohibited in my learning environment, nevertheless – it’s a warning if they call it out – just like any other verbal interruption is. It’s especially challenging in mathematics classes. But my class at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re fairly adherent to the guidelines, while I appreciate that at teen education it might be a different matter.
I have served as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena persist for a few weeks. This trend will fade away soon – they always do, especially once their junior family members begin using it and it ceases to be fashionable. Afterward they shall be focused on the subsequent trend.
‘Sometimes joining the laughter is necessary’
I started noticing it in August, while educating in English language at a international school. It was mostly boys saying it. I instructed students from twelve to eighteen and it was common with the younger pupils. I was unaware what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was just a meme comparable to when I attended classes.
Such phenomena are always shifting. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme back when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly appear as frequently in the learning environment. Differing from ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the board in lessons, so pupils were less able to pick up on it.
I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I accidentally say it, striving to relate to them and recognize that it’s simply contemporary trends. I think they merely seek to experience that feeling of togetherness and friendship.
‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’
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