Educators, are you at 6&7s? Let's talk about the newest 'Slogan of Silly'
- Jason Whiskerd
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
If you're an educator who has been inexplicably interrupted by a chorus of "Six-Seven!" (or "Six-Seveeeeen!") when referencing a page number or a maths problem, you are officially in the throes of Gen Alpha's latest, delightfully nonsensical viral trend.
This TikTok-fueled phenomenon. A meaningless, low-stakes phrase that has become a disruptive classroom chant, is a classic pedagogical challenge. It’s harmless, yes, but its persistent, random nature is certainly irritating to anyone trying to teach the quadratic formula or the causes of the French Revolution.
As our founder Jason Whiskerd points out "To my colleagues feeling the existential fatigue of being perpetually "Six-Sevened," I offer a historical perspective. Cast your mind back and find peace in this one certainty: This, too, shall pass."
Every generation must have its absurd, low-effort rallying cry, designed to bond the in-group and baffle the adults.
The 70s had "Gag me with a spoon."
The 80s had "Totally tubular" and "Word up."
The 90s had "As if!" and "Talk to the hand."
These were the linguistic "disruptions" of a previous era, and we survived them.
The "Six-Seven" trend is simply this era's version of teenagers doing their job: being slightly annoying with excellent synchronization.
Instead of a full ban that turns the trend into a forbidden fruit, why not flip the script?
As a semi-professional suggestion (with a large scoop of tongue-in-cheek):
- The "Six-Seven Minute": Declare the first 67 seconds of class the official "Six-Seven Minute." Get it out of their system, then banish it until the next day.
- The Cringe Counter-Meme: The next time a student shouts it out, simply look them dead in the eye and reply, "That's so Word Up of you." The generational cringe factor is a surprisingly effective, safe, and respectful classroom management tool.
- The Linguistic Lesson: Assign an reward or similar to the student who can correctly identify "Six-Seven" as a modern-day shibboleth (a word used to distinguish members of a group).
We are in the business of shaping minds, not policing memes. Let's tackle this with a sense of humor and the knowledge that in six months, it will be replaced by something equally baffling.
Stay strong, educators!
