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Around the UK, students have been shouting out the expression ““67” during lessons in the latest meme-based craze to sweep across schools.

Whereas some educators have opted to calmly disregard the craze, different educators have embraced it. Several educators explain how they’re coping.

‘I thought I had said something rude’

Earlier in September, I had been talking to my year 11 tutor group about getting ready for their GCSE exams in June. I can’t remember precisely what it was in reference to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re working to results six, seven …” and the complete classroom burst out laughing. It surprised me completely by surprise.

My first thought was that I might have delivered an reference to something rude, or that they perceived something in my accent that seemed humorous. Somewhat exasperated – but truly interested and aware that they weren’t trying to be mean – I asked them to elaborate. Frankly speaking, the explanation they provided didn’t make greater understanding – I continued to have little comprehension.

What possibly made it especially amusing was the considering motion I had executed while speaking. I have since found out that this often accompanies ““67”: I meant it to help convey the process of me thinking aloud.

In order to eliminate it I aim to reference it as frequently as I can. Nothing deflates a trend like this more emphatically than an teacher attempting to participate.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Understanding it assists so that you can steer clear of just unintentionally stating comments like “for example, there existed 6, 7 hundred people without work in Germany in 1933”. If the numerical sequence is inevitable, having a rock-solid school behaviour policy and requirements on learner demeanor really helps, as you can deal with it as you would any other disruption, but I haven’t actually had to do that. Guidelines are important, but if pupils accept what the learning environment is implementing, they will become better concentrated by the online trends (at least in instructional hours).

With sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, aside from an occasional quizzical look and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give oxygen to it, it transforms into a blaze. I address it in the identical manner I would treat any additional interruption.

Previously existed the nine plus ten equals twenty-one craze a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge a different trend after this. This is typical youth activity. Back when I was childhood, it was doing Kevin and Perry mimicry (admittedly away from the school environment).

Young people are spontaneous, and I believe it falls to the teacher to respond in a way that redirects them toward the course that will help them toward their academic objectives, which, hopefully, is coming out with qualifications rather than a behaviour list a mile long for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Students desire belonging to a community’

The children employ it like a connecting expression in the playground: a student calls it and the other children answer to demonstrate they belong to the equivalent circle. It resembles a verbal exchange or a football chant – an agreed language they possess. I don’t think it has any particular importance to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. Regardless of what the latest craze is, they desire to be included in it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, though – it triggers a reminder if they shout it out – similar to any other calling out is. It’s particularly tricky in numeracy instruction. But my pupils at primary level are children aged nine to ten, so they’re relatively accepting of the guidelines, while I recognize that at secondary [school] it may be a separate situation.

I have worked as a teacher for a decade and a half, and these phenomena continue for a few weeks. This craze will die out soon – they always do, particularly once their younger siblings start saying it and it ceases to be fashionable. Afterward they shall be on to the next thing.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I began observing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed ages 12 to 18 and it was prevalent within the younger pupils. I was unaware what it was at the time, but I’m 24 years old and I understood it was merely a viral phenomenon comparable to when I was at school.

These trends are always shifting. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme at the time when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t really occur as often in the classroom. In contrast to ““sixseven”, ““that particular meme” was never written on the whiteboard in class, so learners were less able to adopt it.

I just ignore it, or sometimes I will chuckle alongside them if I inadvertently mention it, trying to understand them and recognize that it is just contemporary trends. I think they merely seek to feel that sense of community and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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