There are two children, boys aged 8 and 6. The boys generally get on well with one another, are bright, gregarious and spirited young people, and will be a pleasure for a talented and creative Tutor to work with. They lead a very physically active lifestyle, and are encouraged – though not pushed – to engage in a wide range of sporting disciplines including table-tennis, tennis, golf, baseball, shooting (both with an air pistol and a compound bow), skateboarding, cycling and more.

The boys’ father plays at the top level of his chosen sport, and his dedication is evident throughout the family home. The whole family operates as a cohesive unit in supporting the father – they travel together to tournaments and try to ensure that he has the right environment in which to compete at his best. Their mother is from a sporting background herself, and although no longer competing, she is more than aware of the pressures surrounding high profile competitions and the challenge of keeping focus over prolonged periods.

Aside from a short stint in their local primary school, the boys have predominantly been home-schooled. Initially, their education was guided by a local Tutor who recommended that they follow an explicitly Christian curriculum. However, such was the emphasis on the Bible that when these parts were largely omitted per the family’s preference, the boys’ purely academic education was rather lighter than would be the case by comparison with a non-religious home-education curriculum. When that Tutor left at short notice, the boys’ mother stepped up to the role of Tutor, and has been home-schooling them herself, partly with the help of the family nanny, since December 2015.

Although the children’s mother is not a qualified educator and perhaps lacks confidence in her own ability, she has done a remarkably professional job in teaching the boys. She has opted to continue following their current curriculum, increasing the emphasis on reading, writing and arithmetic. She usually schools the boys separately, giving one a couple of hours of her time each day while the other is with the nanny, and then swapping part-way through the day. This method of tuition has gone some way to addressing the normal problem of teaching two children with a two-year age difference where the younger child is pushed to a level similar to that of their sibling, but the older child is not stretched and their progression slows. However, there is definitely room for the older boy to blossom academically under the guidance of a professional educator.

The older boy has indications of various dyslexic traits, though nothing has been formally diagnosed. It is thought that any remedial action taken at this stage will help iron out his issues completely before they have time to harm his academic progress and self-confidence. He is certainly a bright child, full of energy, and curious about a wide range of topics including those most typical for boys of his age, such as the speed of bullets and man-eating predators.

As the younger brother, it can sometimes seem like the younger boy uses his brother’s confidence, age, and more outgoing nature as a form of a shield. However, this is not necessarily the case – he is perhaps a more introspective child than his brother, taking his time to decide how he will react to new people and situations before revealing his feelings. Once he decides to embrace the situation, he attacks it with as much gusto and vim as his older brother.

Both boys like teachers who are enthusiastic, willing to listen to questions and join in with investigating answers together, rather than teachers who just didactically explain concepts.

This position requires a youthful, energetic, enthusiastic and interesting teacher who has experience working with children of these ages. Ideally the Tutor will have excellent French or Spanish and at least a basic grounding in Latin. The Tutor will be able to develop an educationally rich program of study which allows for project based learning as well as more traditional class-based lessons. The parents are happy for the Tutor to use a published curriculum as a basis for their planning, but are excited about the possibilities that home-schooling affords, and so the Tutor should also have the expertise and knowledge to design a safe program for the boys that encompasses local resources and deviates from the curriculum where possible and suitable.

A number of education pathways have been discussed, including possible curricula that can form the basis of their education. These include the Calvert Education and the Laurel Springs School, but may also include elements of the British primary school curriculum. The boys’ parents are also interested in learning pathways that are led by the students’ own interests. For example, a question about sharks could form the basis of a detailed marine study, including work different shark species and habitats, exploring the food chain, environmental science and a trip to an aquarium. Interest in any given topic should be woven into the boys’ learning pathways.

It is envisaged that the boys will eventually re-join mainstream education at some point, perhaps at grades 9 and 7. The plan is to give both boys excellent foundations for academic success on re-joining their peers, but not to have them in a position where they are so far ahead that they no longer fit in with their respective cohorts. To this end, the Tutor should aim to deliver an education that is very broad without increasing the depth of subject knowledge too far beyond what is age appropriate. This balance can be achieved by extending the number of subjects covered to include things like photography, astronomy and karate training, as well as giving them a solid basis in practical subjects such as house-hold engineering (how to hang shelves and fix hinges etc.) alongside crafts such as backwoodsman skills, knots and first aid.

The Tutor must be organized, self-reliant, and independent. Although the family is based in Georgia, there is a large amount of travel involved with this recruitment and the Tutor will rarely be home. The Tutor should not require hand-holding for any aspect of the position, even if technology lets them down or their lesson plans for the day fall through. They must be flexible enough to respond quickly to changes in timetable or location, and sensitive to the needs of the family when the father is preparing for or playing in a tournament. The family and their staff operate as a team, and the Tutor should be prepared to help this team function as smoothly as possible by helping out when they see little jobs that need doing.

The boys’ mother will remain involved in her sons’ education, but the Tutor should not expect her role to include any part of the daily routine.

It would be helpful if the Tutor knew how to play a portable instrument (or an electronic version of a physical instrument such as the keyboard or Aerodrums) and be able to teach the boys to read music. Additional talents or skills that they can share with the family would also be welcome. The Tutor must be fit and healthy, a non-smoker. Both children are very energetic and love all forms of sport including water and water sports, so the Tutor must be a confident swimmer. The older child is also a very creative boy whose drawings are mature and who has recently shown an interest in photography, and these should also be fostered. The Tutor should be eloquent, able to explain concepts simply and able to inspire with his or her enthusiasm for any given subject. He or she should be a natural communicator with a kind and caring disposition, and a firm-but-fair approach to their work.

The Tutor will typically work with the boys for about 30-40 hours over 5 days each week, with preparation in addition. The timetable must be established with reference to family’s travel plans, and be flexible enough to accommodate unexpected changes. As far as possible, a consistent pattern should be established, with some periods of formal classroom study as well as activity-based learning. The client envisions 3-4 hours per day of activities with a mainly academic theme and about 2-3 hours of more leisurely activities, preferably something physical, sporty or creative.

The Tutor is entitled to two consecutive days off per week, but should not expect these to occur at weekends or to be regular in their timing. As far as possible the Client will try to give the Tutor at least a week’s notice of when their weekend break will be, but the Tutor will need to understand this is not always possible. The standard 9-week paid vacation allowance applies to this contract, with breaks taken at times convenient to the Client.

Any untaken vacation allowance or untaken weekend days that have accrued will be compensated by payment in lieu at a pro-rated day rate.

While in Georgia, the Tutor will be provided with accommodation in the form of the family guesthouse. This is on the family property and while access does not disturb the family it will be inappropriate for the Tutor to bring anyone onto the property who has not been screened by the Company according to the Terms. When travelling, accommodation will vary, with some locations requiring the Tutor to live-in with the family in a rented house, and other locations where the Tutor will have their own hotel room. There may also be occasions where the family stay on a boat, and in these cases the Tutor will most likely be given their own cabin. Save for the Tutor’s personal telephone use, the Client will cover all bills on their accommodation.

There is currently no car available for use by the Tutor, but the Tutor is welcome to bring their own vehicle to Georgia. The Client will reimburse the Tutor for all local public transport and any travels costs incurred while away from the family home. During tournaments there is usually a car that the Tutor can borrow in coordination with the nanny and the boys' mother.

The successful candidate will be able to offer more than the minimum requirements of this position and will need to have been raised in a socially appropriate background. He or she will not only be an excellent educator, but also a good role model: educated and polished, with excellent manners and personal values.