‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: a quintet of UK teachers on handling ‘‘67’ in the educational setting
Across the UK, students have been exclaiming the phrase “sixseven” during lessons in the most recent meme-based trend to spread through schools.
Whereas some instructors have decided to patiently overlook the phenomenon, others have embraced it. Several instructors describe how they’re coping.
‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’
During September, I had been speaking with my year 11 students about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in reference to, but I said something like “ … if you’re targeting grades six, seven …” and the entire group started chuckling. It surprised me completely by surprise.
My first thought was that I had created an allusion to something rude, or that they perceived a quality in my accent that appeared amusing. A bit annoyed – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they had no intention of being mean – I got them to elaborate. Honestly, the clarification they offered failed to create significant clarification – I continued to have minimal understanding.
What might have made it extra funny was the considering movement I had made while speaking. Subsequently I found out that this frequently goes with “six-seven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the act of me thinking aloud.
To eliminate it I aim to bring it up as frequently as I can. No strategy reduces a craze like this more emphatically than an teacher attempting to get involved.
‘If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno’
Understanding it assists so that you can steer clear of just blundering into statements like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the number combination is inevitable, maintaining a firm student discipline system and requirements on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any different disruption, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Guidelines are necessary, but if students accept what the school is practicing, they will become better concentrated by the online trends (particularly in class periods).
With 67, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, aside from an occasional quizzical look and commenting ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes a blaze. I address it in the identical manner I would treat any different disruption.
Previously existed the 9 + 10 = 21 craze a while back, and certainly there will appear a different trend after this. It’s what kids do. Back when I was childhood, it was performing Kevin and Perry mimicry (truthfully out of the classroom).
Students are spontaneous, and In my opinion it’s the educator’s responsibility to react in a way that guides them toward the course that will get them to their educational goals, which, hopefully, is graduating with qualifications rather than a disciplinary record lengthy for the use of arbitrary digits.
‘Students desire belonging to a community’
Young learners utilize it like a bonding chant in the recreation area: a student calls it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the same group. It resembles a verbal exchange or a sports cheer – an common expression they possess. In my view it has any specific importance to them; they merely recognize it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the newest phenomenon is, they desire to feel part of it.
It’s banned in my classroom, however – it’s a warning if they shout it out – just like any additional calling out is. It’s especially challenging in numeracy instruction. But my class at primary level are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly adherent to the regulations, whereas I recognize that at secondary [school] it could be a different matter.
I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, and these phenomena persist for a few weeks. This phenomenon will fade away shortly – this consistently happens, notably once their junior family members begin using it and it’s no longer 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 mostly young men uttering it. I educated teenagers and it was widespread within the younger pupils. I had no idea its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I realised it was just a meme similar to when I attended classes.
Such phenomena are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my training school, but it didn’t particularly exist as much in the classroom. Differing from ““67”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the board in instruction, so students were less equipped to embrace it.
I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will smile with the students if I unintentionally utter it, attempting to understand them and appreciate that it’s simply pop culture. I think they just want to experience that feeling of togetherness and friendship.
‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’
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