‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: five UK instructors on coping with ‘six-seven’ in the classroom
Throughout the UK, school pupils have been exclaiming the phrase ““67” during lessons in the newest internet-inspired phenomenon to sweep across schools.
While some educators have decided to patiently overlook the craze, others have incorporated it. Several educators explain how they’re coping.
‘I thought I had said something rude’
Back in September, I had been addressing my eleventh grade students about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in relation to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re aiming for results six, seven …” and the complete classroom started chuckling. It caught me entirely unexpectedly.
My immediate assumption was that I had created an allusion to something rude, or that they’d heard a quality in my speech pattern that appeared amusing. Somewhat annoyed – but honestly intrigued and aware that they had no intention of being mean – I persuaded them to explain. Honestly, the description they offered didn’t make much difference – I still had little comprehension.
What might have made it particularly humorous was the considering movement I had executed while speaking. I later found out that this typically pairs with “six-seven”: I had intended it to assist in expressing the act of me thinking aloud.
In order to kill it off I aim to reference it as frequently as I can. No approach diminishes a phenomenon like this more effectively than an grown-up striving to participate.
‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’
Being aware of it helps so that you can avoid just accidentally making remarks like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the number combination is unpreventable, possessing a strong student discipline system and expectations on learner demeanor proves beneficial, as you can sanction it as you would any additional interruption, but I haven’t actually been required to take that action. Policies are important, but if learners buy into what the educational institution is practicing, they will become better concentrated by the internet crazes (at least in instructional hours).
Regarding six-seven, I haven’t sacrificed any instructional minutes, other than for an infrequent raised eyebrow and commenting “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide focus on it, it evolves into a wildfire. I address it in the identical manner I would manage any other disturbance.
There was the mathematical meme trend a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge a different trend following this. This is typical youth activity. During my own childhood, it was imitating comedy characters impressions (admittedly out of the learning space).
Children are unpredictable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to react in a approach that redirects them in the direction of the path that will enable them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is graduating with academic achievements rather than a conduct report a mile long for the use of random numbers.
‘They want to feel a part of a group’
Students use it like a unifying phrase in the playground: a student calls it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the same group. It’s like a verbal exchange or a stadium slogan – an agreed language they use. I believe it has any distinct meaning to them; they just know it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the current trend is, they want to experience belonging to it.
It’s forbidden in my learning environment, nevertheless – it triggers a reminder if they exclaim it – similar to any other verbal interruption is. It’s particularly difficult in mathematics classes. But my pupils at year 5 are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly adherent to the rules, while I understand that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.
I have worked as a instructor for a decade and a half, and these crazes last for a few weeks. This trend will diminish soon – it invariably occurs, notably once their younger siblings begin using it and it stops being fashionable. Afterward they shall be on to the next thing.
‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’
I began observing it in August, while educating in English language at a foreign language school. It was mainly boys saying it. I educated teenagers and it was prevalent among the younger pupils. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was simply an internet trend akin to when I attended classes.
The crazes are constantly changing. ““Toilet meme” was a familiar phenomenon at the time when I was at my teacher preparation program, but it didn’t really occur as often in the educational setting. In contrast to ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the chalkboard in class, so pupils were less prepared to adopt it.
I just ignore it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, striving to empathise with them and understand that it is just youth culture. I believe they merely seek to feel that sense of community and friendship.
‘Playfully shouting it means I rarely hear it now’
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