🔗 Share this article ‘You just have to laugh’: several UK educators on coping with ‘six-seven’ in the educational setting Throughout the UK, students have been shouting out the words “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent meme-based phenomenon to sweep across educational institutions. Although some educators have chosen to stoically ignore the trend, different educators have accepted it. A group of instructors explain how they’re coping. ‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’ Earlier in September, I had been talking to my eleventh grade tutor group about studying for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in connection with, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re aiming for marks six, seven …” and the complete classroom erupted in laughter. It caught me entirely unexpectedly. My immediate assumption was that I had created an allusion to an offensive subject, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that appeared amusing. Slightly annoyed – but genuinely curious and aware that they weren’t mean – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the description they offered failed to create greater understanding – I continued to have minimal understanding. What possibly made it extra funny was the considering gesture I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this typically pairs with “six-seven”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the process of me speaking my mind. To kill it off I aim to bring it up as frequently as I can. Nothing reduces a trend like this more emphatically than an adult striving to get involved. ‘Providing attention fuels the fire’ Understanding it helps so that you can avoid just blundering into statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million unemployed people in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is unavoidable, maintaining a rock-solid student discipline system and requirements 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. Policies are one thing, but if learners accept what the educational institution is implementing, they’ll be less distracted by the internet crazes (particularly in instructional hours). With 67, I haven’t lost any instructional minutes, other than for an periodic quizzical look and stating “yes, that’s a number, well done”. Should you offer focus on it, it evolves into a wildfire. I treat it in the same way I would manage any other disruption. There was the mathematical meme phenomenon a previous period, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. It’s what kids do. During my own growing up, it was performing television personalities impressions (honestly out of the school environment). Children are spontaneous, and In my opinion it’s an adult’s job to react in a way that steers them back to the course that will get them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is coming out with academic achievements instead of a disciplinary record extensive for the utilization of meaningless numerals. ‘They want to feel a part of a group’ Students utilize it like a unifying phrase in the schoolyard: a student calls it and the remaining students reply to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It’s similar to a interactive chant or a sports cheer – an agreed language they use. I don’t think it has any distinct significance to them; they just know it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the latest craze is, they desire to experience belonging to it. It’s forbidden in my teaching space, though – it’s a warning if they exclaim it – identical to any other calling out is. It’s especially difficult in numeracy instruction. But my class at fifth grade are children aged nine to ten, so they’re quite accepting of the rules, while I recognize that at teen education it might be a distinct scenario. I’ve been a educator for a decade and a half, and these crazes last for a few weeks. This phenomenon will die out in the near future – they always do, particularly once their junior family members commence repeating it and it stops being cool. Then they’ll be focused on the following phenomenon. ‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’ I started noticing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was primarily male students saying it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was prevalent with the younger pupils. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was merely a viral phenomenon similar to when I attended classes. These trends are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon during the period when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really occur as often in the classroom. Differing from “six-seven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less able to embrace it. I just ignore it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to empathise with them and recognize that it’s merely pop culture. I think they just want to experience that feeling of togetherness and camaraderie. ‘Lighthearted usage has diminished its occurrence’ I have worked in the {job|profession