School pupils across the UK have been shouting out “six-seven” during lessons in the latest meme-based craze to sweep through classrooms. Teachers have adopted various strategies to cope, from ignoring the trend to embracing it.
James, a secondary school teacher in north London, said he tries to mention the phrase as often as possible to kill the craze. “Nothing deflates a craze like this more emphatically than an adult trying to join in,” he explained.
Connor, a 39-year-old history teacher at a London comprehensive, treats the disruption like any other. “If you give oxygen to it, then it becomes an inferno,” he said. He noted that similar crazes, such as “9 + 10 = 21”, have come and gone before.
Jane, a primary school teacher in north-west England in her early 50s, has banned the phrase in her classroom. She described the craze as a bonding chant for children, but expects it to die out within weeks, especially once younger siblings start using it.
One teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled accidentally triggering laughter by mentioning grades six and seven to a year 11 tutor group. After being told about the meme, she now tries to avoid saying the numbers in sequence.
