This assignment is the start of a long-term homeschooling role that has at its apogee either entry to a good school in America at grade 10, a good European IB school at grade 12, or indeed which may continue with homeschooling throughout high school.
Students
The older boy has been homeschooled since March 2014, while his brother remained in his local public school until the end of the school year. Homeschooling certainly enables him to work more effectively and without distraction during the day, and he is already made huge progress since full time tutoring started. He also has less stress at home after school because the increased output during the school day reduces the dependence on homework.
The older boy was formally tested at the end of October 2013. The test scores indicated a capable child who has deficits in processing and working memory commonly associated with dyslexia. The test on record was somewhat conservative in its findings compared with how he performs with his Tutor and he will likely be tested again later this year or early in 2015. Whatever the accuracy of the October 2013 assessment, the tests did support home observation of dyslexia and dyscalculia, together with some mild attention lapses. As things stand now though, he can find it hard to maintain focus in the classroom or when doing homework with his younger brother nearby, and readily admits to needing to remind himself to pay attention when he notices his focus is waning. Again, from personal experience, it seems more likely that any lapses of attention are symptomatic of the exhaustion he experiences through the efforts he makes to study, together with real distractions that would affect any child, rather than from any clinical condition. These impediments are already attenuating now that he has been out of mainstream school for a few months.
He prefers math to reading, which he finds hard. Unfortunately his issues with being able to read fluently, or follow sequences of directions when presented orally, can also prevent him from understanding the question being asked, and his disorganised layout then sometimes affects the accuracy of his working. In addition, what appears as dyscalculia then inhibits an appreciation for the scale of the numerical answer determined and so it is easy for him to think he's answered something completely or correctly when in fact he's made a series of small mistakes that lead to incorrect or incomplete solutions. These persistent difficulties have done nothing for his confidence, and it's important that he receives the support he needs before this becomes another barrier.
The younger boy is smart and is already on a par with his older brother in some areas, and even ahead in others. He also enjoys school and shares many of his older brother's interests. He can do much of the work that his brother can't. When they are working together, as they currently are when doing homework, he can be a huge distraction to his older brother. He doesn't need to put in anything like as much effort to complete the work he has been set, and is, at present, coasting. His school seems content with the situation and are not offering any extension work. Given his obvious ability and current unwillingness to do anything more than he needs to, it is likely that sibling respect and rivalry are creating a situation for him where he doesn't want to show up his older brother and so deliberately, if subconsciously, is holding himself back. Once homeschooling starts, and the children can work individually to maximize their own potentials, this should give him the space to grow without the risk that he is upstages his older brother.
The overall aim of the tutoring is to help prepare both boys for possible re-entry to a good school either in America at grade 10 or perhaps a good European IB school at grade 12. This is a long-term role, with the Tutor(s) required to assist all the way to SAT preparation and college applications.
Role of the Tutor
Although there are many traditional educational qualities in this role, the Tutor should not be hesitant when it comes to incorporating new technologies. The children should, of course, learn to write, but they should also become adept at using speech-to-text software, learn to touch-type and master how to use spell-checker effectively. It will also be essential for the Tutor to help the older boy to develop lifelong techniques for managing his learning differences, as his current armoury is clearly insufficient.
The Tutor will be responsible for bridging the gap between what the older boy can do at the moment and what he should be doing in terms of the American curriculum at the middle of his grade level. The Tutor should embrace the learning opportunities that full time private tutoring affords, keeping lessons relevant, interesting, and engaging, and making good use of the natural surroundings and facilities that the local town has to offer. The family will also travel wider afield - the family has three houses across America and additional properties in Europe that they frequent. The Tutor should infuse his or her teaching with content that relates to these broader geographical experiences.
The tutoring will need to take place around the family's timetable. While this will be relatively stable for the most part, it may deviate from traditional school hours in order, for example, to allow the family to make good use of particularly good ski conditions some mornings. The tutoring will also need to accommodate the older boy's regular evening ice hockey practices in the early evenings, and of course the family travel plans.
The Tutor should be a well-educated individual with a wide range of interests and broad subject knowledge. The family is liberal, broad-minded and quite European in outlook, and it would be helpful to have a Tutor who shared their values, or at least does not have strong contrary ones of their own, and who had broadened their own mind through travel or experience of non-American cultures.
The Tutor should be eloquent, able to explain concepts simply and able to inspire the older boy with his or her enthusiasm for any given subject. He or she should have a wide knowledge base and a range of extra curricula skills and interests that they can share with the family. The Tutor should be a natural communicator with a kind and caring disposition, and a firm-but-fair approach to their work. The boys like skiing and ice hockey, and it would be helpful if the Tutor shared some or all of these sporting interests, especially given the opportunity for winter and mountain sports available on the doorstep.
This is a shared role with both Tutors being responsible for the education of both children. It will be important for the Tutors to work effectively and cooperatively with one another to provide a thoughtful and comprehensive curriculum that covers the learning objectives at the required standards for both the American and the British curricula. This dual approach will need to ensure that where material is common, one teacher does not repeat something that has already been taught by the other Tutor in a different way. In an ideal world, what will emerge from the development of this highly international style of teaching and learning is a unique and re-usable ‘international home school' program of study.
Hours and Holidays
The Tutor should expect an average of two consecutive days off per week. They may not be the same days week to week, and flexibility in this regard is important.
The Tutor has a minimum of nine weeks paid vacation per annum as per the Terms. These will be taken at times suitable to the Client, and will likely follow the same pattern as the school holidays, with breaks at Christmas, New Year, Easter and the summer. The Tutor is expected to work with the boy on any public holidays Monday-Thursday that are not part of the arranged vacation periods.
Accommodation, Travel, and Miscellaneous
The Client will pay for all bills on this accommodation, except for the Tutor's personal phone bills. The Tutor will be provided with a car for his or her personal use.
Jackson Hole is small city, but with good amenities for its population. While it is far from being a buzzing and vibrant social mecca, the town has a budding arts scene, a theatre, a good selection of shops and restaurants and a friendly atmosphere. Winter sports are particularly good, as is hiking and other outdoor activities. The summer offers a broad range of activities making use of the rivers, lakes, trails, climate and wilderness. The local airport has regular flights to Denver, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles, all of which are good bases from which to explore the US or fly to Europe or Asia.
There will likely be frequent of travel in this role, to destinations in the US and Europe, as well as farther afield, and the Tutor will therefore need to ensure that he or she has the requisite travel and health insurance, and has received the required vaccinations etc.
The Client will be responsible for the Tutor's full expenses arising from any travel required for the position throughout the contract term.
The Tutor should be a non-smoker, lead a physically active lifestyle, and be healthy and fit. He or she should be engaging, have a good sense of humor and a sunny disposition, and yet be a serious educator who understands his or her responsibility in this important role.
Contractual details
- Start: January, March or September 2015
- Duration: One year to start; long-term role
- Hours: 40 per week
- Salary: $135,000 USD per annum
- Accommodation: Provided
- Car: Provided
- Vacation: Minimum nine weeks per annum