‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: five UK teachers on coping with ‘‘67’ in the classroom

Throughout the UK, students have been calling out the expression ““67” during lessons in the newest internet-inspired trend to spread through schools.

Whereas some educators have chosen to stoically ignore the trend, others have incorporated it. Five instructors share how they’re coping.

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

During September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade tutor group about preparing for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember specifically what it was in reference to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re working to grades six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.

My initial reaction was that I might have delivered an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived a quality in my pronunciation that sounded funny. Slightly exasperated – but genuinely curious and aware that they weren’t hurtful – I asked them to explain. Frankly speaking, the description they then gave failed to create significant clarification – I remained with no idea.

What possibly rendered it particularly humorous was the weighing-up movement I had made while speaking. I later discovered that this often accompanies ““67”: I meant it to aid in demonstrating the action of me speaking my mind.

With the aim of kill it off I try to mention it as often as I can. Nothing diminishes a craze like this more emphatically than an teacher striving to get involved.

‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’

Understanding it aids so that you can prevent just accidentally making statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is inevitable, possessing a firm student discipline system and standards on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any different disruption, but I rarely been required to take that action. Policies are important, but if pupils buy into what the learning environment is practicing, they will remain better concentrated by the internet crazes (particularly in class periods).

With sixseven, I haven’t lost any teaching periods, aside from an periodic eyebrow raise and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes a blaze. I handle it in the identical manner I would treat any different interruption.

There was the 9 + 10 = 21 trend a previous period, and there will no doubt be a different trend after this. This is typical youth activity. During my own youth, it was doing comedy characters impressions (truthfully outside the school environment).

Young people are unpredictable, and In my opinion it’s the educator’s responsibility to respond in a way that steers them in the direction of the course that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with academic achievements rather than a disciplinary record lengthy for the use of arbitrary digits.

‘They want to feel a part of a group’

The children employ it like a unifying phrase in the playground: one says it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the identical community. It’s like a verbal exchange or a football chant – an common expression they possess. I don’t think it has any particular importance to them; they simply understand it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they desire to feel part of it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they exclaim it – just like any additional shouting out is. It’s particularly difficult in numeracy instruction. But my class at year 5 are children aged nine to ten, so they’re fairly adherent to the guidelines, although I understand that at secondary [school] it might be a distinct scenario.

I’ve been a instructor for 15 years, and such trends continue for a month or so. This trend will fade away soon – it invariably occurs, notably once their younger siblings commence repeating it and it ceases to be trendy. Afterward they shall be on to the next thing.

‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’

I first detected it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mainly young men repeating it. I taught students from twelve to eighteen and it was prevalent within the junior students. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I was a student.

These trends are always shifting. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme back when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really appear as frequently in the classroom. Unlike ““sixseven”, ““the skibidi trend” was not inscribed on the board in class, so pupils were less equipped to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, attempting to empathise with them and appreciate that it’s merely pop culture. I think they simply desire to feel that sense of togetherness and companionship.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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