A School in The Cloud

A School in the Cloud
The School in the Cloud—a project created by 2013 TED Prize winner Sugata Mitra—makes teachers
available online to mentor children in schools around the world. As children explore the big questions
that matter to them, they get nudges in the right direction from a Skype Granny. But don’t let the
name fool you. While many Skype Granny participants are female and retired, just as many are male
or in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. In the following interview, David Swancott, a retired biology teacher
living in France, describes his experiences of being a Skype Granny over the last two years.
1. You’re retired, living in the countryside. What inspired you to become a Skype Granny for
School in the Cloud?
I found out about it on television—on the BBC’s The One Show, which follows the evening news.
They did a segment about the Granny Cloud, and it stirred my interest. I thought, “That’s something I
might like to be involved with.” I missed being in contact with children. So I got in touch with the
contact provided on the show’s website, downloaded an application form, and, after an interview, I
became a Skype Granny. Once a teacher, always a teacher.
2. Every Tuesday morning, you Skype with young students at two different schools in India.
Can you talk us through a typical session?
Last week, one group came on and immediately wanted to know about butterflies. So, as time was
tight, I quickly hunted out a National Geographic video on the monarch butterfly and we watched
that. Afterwards, we talked through what they’d seen. I asked questions and together we explored the
life cycle of a butterfly.
Sessions last between 30 and 45 minutes. We usually start by spending some time talking about the
things that have happened during the week, then I show them some photos or a video or written
material, usually on a topic they decided on the week before. We spend time talking about the
material. I get them to give input as much as possible—picking out new vocabulary, checking
spelling, and so on.
3. You’re the grandfather of two young boys and taught high school in England for more than
40 years, which means you must be very patient. What are some challenges you’ve come across
being a Skype Granny?
Well, you have to think on your feet a bit sometimes and be willing to move with the children if they
go off on a tangent. Quite often, there are problems with sound or vision or even both, and we have to
resort to communication by text. There’s also no guarantee that the Internet will work at all, as the
facilities in some areas are so poor. On one occasion, the line to the school was attacked by monkeys,
and it took a while for it to be repaired, as the school is in a very remote area.
4. What’s the best thing about being a Skype Granny?
The children’s enthusiasm, their willingness to learn, and their appreciation of my involvement as a
Granny. Recently, I’ve been experiencing some heart problems and when I restarted the sessions after
my illness, the children at one of the schools had made these lovely “Get Well Soon” cards for me,
which they were able to show to me during one of our sessions. What a tonic 1 that was! And, unlike
some of the children in England, when they see you, they smile. They are happy to be there. And they
have a contagious enthusiasm, which I think is what keeps me going and makes me want to do more
for them.
5. What do you think makes a good teacher?
Teaching is about creating and providing a supportive environment in which a child can learn. A good
teacher acts as a facilitator for that child’s learning. The U.K. government started fiddling around with
education, and that’s one of the things that drove me away from teaching—we moved to a very
prescribed curriculum with little or no time to drift sideways and explore other facets of a subject or
respond to students’ questions or thoughts. The school’s examination results became the most
important thing, but it’s much more than that! Overall, I think a good teacher must be able to work
within the constraints of the existing system, have an enthusiasm for their subject, and be able to
engage students and get them involved with their own learning.
6. What do you think is the future of learning?
The use of technology in schools is changing the way we learn, what we learn, and what the shape of
the curriculum should be in the future. I was a teacher during an era when computers first appeared in
schools—to be used by teachers, certainly not for students. Now, in many schools, the students all
have their own computers or tablets. I never envisaged2 being able to communicate with a school in
India on a regular basis, and now look what I am doing! Technology opens up many opportunities for
different approaches to learning. Within this, children need to be allowed to take more charge of their
learning, with the teacher acting in a more supporting role. Letting go of this control is a big challenge
for teachers, as there is security when you are setting out the agenda. But really, this approach doesn’t
take anything away from the role of the teacher. We will continue to be instrumental in setting up
these learning situations.

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5. What do you think makes a good teacher?

6. What do you think is the future of learning?

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