‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: a quintet of UK teachers on handling ‘‘sixseven’ in the school environment
Throughout the UK, students have been calling out the words “sixseven” during instruction in the latest internet-inspired craze to sweep across classrooms.
Although some teachers have chosen to patiently overlook the craze, others have accepted it. A group of instructors share how they’re managing.
‘I thought I had said something rude’
Back in September, I had been speaking with my eleventh grade class about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. I don’t recall specifically what it was in relation to, but I said a phrase resembling “ … if you’re aiming for grades six, seven …” and the whole class erupted in laughter. It took me totally off guard.
My first thought was that I had created an allusion to something rude, or that they perceived an element of my accent that sounded funny. A bit frustrated – but truly interested and aware that they had no intention of being hurtful – I persuaded them to explain. To be honest, the clarification they offered didn’t make greater understanding – I continued to have no idea.
What possibly rendered it especially amusing was the evaluating motion I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I meant it to assist in expressing the act of me verbalizing thoughts.
To kill it off I aim to mention it as often as I can. Nothing reduces a trend like this more effectively than an teacher trying to join in.
‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’
Knowing about it assists so that you can steer clear of just blundering into comments like “indeed, there were 6, 7 million people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the numerical sequence is inevitable, maintaining a rock-solid student discipline system and expectations on pupil behavior proves beneficial, as you can deal with it as you would any different disturbance, but I’ve not really needed to implement that. Rules are necessary, but if pupils buy into what the learning environment is practicing, they will become more focused by the internet crazes (especially in class periods).
Regarding sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, except for an occasional eyebrow raise and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give focus on it, it evolves into a blaze. I address it in the same way I would manage any additional interruption.
Previously existed the nine plus ten equals twenty-one craze a few years ago, and certainly there will appear a new phenomenon after this. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was youth, it was doing Kevin and Perry impressions (truthfully outside the learning space).
Children are unpredictable, and I believe it falls to the teacher to react in a approach that redirects them toward the course that will enable them to their educational goals, which, fingers crossed, is coming out with certificates as opposed to a behaviour list extensive for the utilization of arbitrary digits.
‘Students desire belonging to a community’
The children use it like a bonding chant in the schoolyard: one says it and the remaining students reply to indicate they’re part of the identical community. It resembles a interactive chant or a football chant – an common expression they share. I believe it has any specific meaning to them; they just know it’s a thing to say. Regardless of what the current trend is, they want to be included in it.
It’s banned in my learning environment, nevertheless – it results in a caution if they shout it out – similar to any different verbal interruption is. It’s especially difficult in numeracy instruction. But my students at primary level are pre-teens, so they’re fairly accepting of the regulations, while I recognize that at teen education it might be a distinct scenario.
I have worked as a teacher for fifteen years, and these crazes continue for a few weeks. This craze will die out shortly – it invariably occurs, notably once their little brothers and sisters commence repeating it and it’s no longer fashionable. Afterward they shall be engaged with the following phenomenon.
‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’
I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mostly male students saying it. I taught teenagers and it was prevalent among the younger pupils. I had no idea its meaning at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I recognized it was just a meme similar to when I attended classes.
The crazes are continuously evolving. ““Skibidi” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my training school, but it didn’t really occur as often in the learning environment. Differing from “six-seven”, ““that particular meme” was not scribbled on the board in lessons, so learners were less able to embrace it.
I simply disregard it, or sometimes I will laugh with them if I accidentally say it, striving to relate to them and appreciate that it’s simply youth culture. In my opinion they merely seek to feel that sense of togetherness and friendship.
‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’
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