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

Across the UK, learners have been shouting out the phrase ““67” during classes in the latest viral craze to spread through classrooms.

Although some teachers have chosen to stoically ignore the craze, different educators have accepted it. Several educators describe how they’re managing.

‘I believed I’d made an inappropriate comment’

Earlier in September, I had been talking to my secondary school students about getting ready for their secondary school examinations in June. It escapes me specifically what it was in reference to, but I said words similar to “ … if you’re targeting grades six, seven …” and the whole class started chuckling. It caught me totally off guard.

My immediate assumption was that I might have delivered an allusion to an inappropriate topic, or that they perceived an element of my speech pattern that sounded funny. Somewhat annoyed – but honestly intrigued and mindful that they weren’t trying to be hurtful – I asked them to elaborate. To be honest, the description they offered failed to create much difference – I still had little comprehension.

What might have rendered it especially amusing was the evaluating gesture I had performed during speaking. Subsequently I found out that this often accompanies ““sixseven”: I had intended it to help convey the action of me thinking aloud.

In order to end the trend I attempt to bring it up as often as I can. Nothing diminishes a craze like this more effectively than an teacher trying to get involved.

‘Providing attention fuels the fire’

Being aware of it assists so that you can prevent just blundering into statements like “for example, there existed 6, 7 thousand jobless individuals in Germany in 1933”. When the digit pairing is unpreventable, maintaining a rock-solid student discipline system and standards on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any different interruption, but I’ve not really needed to implement that. Guidelines are important, but if students buy into what the school is practicing, they will remain more focused by the viral phenomena (particularly in lesson time).

With 67, I haven’t lost any lesson time, other than for an periodic raised eyebrow and saying “yes, that’s a number, well done”. When you provide focus on it, then it becomes an inferno. I address it in the equivalent fashion 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 another craze following this. This is typical youth activity. During my own growing up, it was performing comedy characters mimicry (admittedly outside the school environment).

Children are unpredictable, and I think it’s the educator’s responsibility to behave in a way that redirects them back to the course that will help them to their educational goals, which, fingers crossed, is graduating with certificates rather than a disciplinary record lengthy for the use of meaningless numerals.

‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’

Students utilize it like a unifying phrase in the playground: a pupil shouts it and the other children answer to indicate they’re part of the identical community. It resembles a call-and-response or a football chant – an shared vocabulary they share. In my view it has any distinct meaning to them; they just know it’s a trend to say. No matter what the current trend is, they desire to experience belonging to it.

It’s forbidden in my teaching space, however – it triggers a reminder if they call it out – just like any different verbal interruption is. It’s particularly tricky in mathematics classes. But my pupils at fifth grade are nine to 10-year-olds, so they’re fairly accepting of the guidelines, whereas I understand that at high school it may be a distinct scenario.

I have served as a teacher for fifteen years, and these phenomena continue for a month or so. This phenomenon will fade away shortly – this consistently happens, especially once their junior family members start saying it and it’s no longer cool. Afterward they shall be focused on the subsequent trend.

‘You just have to laugh with them’

I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a international school. It was mostly young men saying it. I taught teenagers and it was common with the less experienced learners. I didn’t understand what it was at the time, but being twenty-four and I realised it was just a meme similar to when I attended classes.

The crazes are constantly changing. “Skibidi toilet” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my educational institute, but it didn’t really exist as much in the educational setting. Unlike ““67”, ““that particular meme” was not inscribed on the whiteboard in instruction, so students were less equipped to embrace it.

I typically overlook it, or occasionally I will laugh with them if I unintentionally utter it, trying to empathise with them and recognize that it is just pop culture. I believe they simply desire to experience that feeling of belonging and camaraderie.

‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’

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Jessica Hanson
Jessica Hanson

Lena is an environmental scientist passionate about sustainable energy solutions and green living.

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