The 17 year old boy is an engaging, self-assured and competent young man who is academically very able and has selected an ambitious range of subjects to study over the next academic year. He currently attends a school in Seattle, where he will be entering his junior year (having been held back in grade 8 due to illness). He has opted to study a course which is regarded as one of the most difficult courses the school offers; only a handful of previous students have achieved an A in this course and he hopes to become one of them. In addition to his main course, he will be studying a wide range of difficult science and math as well as Spanish. This means that his workload will be extremely heavy, and he will have to be incredibly organized to juggle all of the subjects competing for his attention, especially as this is the year when he will start to look seriously at his options for college.

Luckily, the 17 year old is a very driven and focused individual. He has set himself this goal, knowing it’s a huge undertaking and intends to see it through. Given his strong commitment to extracurricular sports in addition to his academics, he will need continuous encouragement and support, or he could easily become overwhelmed.

The 15 year old girl has just finished her Freshman year. She is a talented and devoted equestrian to the extent that she relocates to Florida for the winter months of the year to allow her to train with some of the best riders in the US. During these months, she has been enrolled in a tutorial school which has helped her keep academically on par with her year group. However, this tutorial school doesn’t provide its own curriculum or any course transcripts, relying instead on the goodwill of each students’ regular school to provide such material. In her case, this goodwill has been used up, and the school are no longer willing to provide resources for her during any time away. It is not yet fully known at this stage what the Tutor can do about that, but one option under consideration is to enroll her in an online school where credits earned can be added back into her transcript at her school.

Like her elder brother, she is engaging, confident and happy to chat openly. She is also academically able and enjoys learning. Although very interested in being homeschooled and the flexibility this would afford her, she is aware that this is not currently an option for her, and so she will be staying at school for the foreseeable future.

The youngest brother, a 12 year old boy, is rather different to his older siblings. He is going into grade 7 this September. Unlike his older brother, he struggles with ADHD, and the formulaic method of classroom teaching has done little to either hold his attention or inspire a love of learning for its own sake. He cites his favorite teacher as someone who is funny, engages his pupils well and who is relaxed enough in class to let pupils talk quietly as long as they are not disturbing each other. He seems to like background noise in his classes, which is congruent with his diagnosis of moderate ADHD, but not encouraged by his schoolteachers, for obvious reasons. All in all, the school options are not working to his strengths and he needs to develop better ways to manage himself in the classroom if he is to succeed there.

Although homeschooling has been considered, he is a very social young man and is vehemently opposed to the idea. He enjoys a range of sports, including all watersports, tennis, fishing, and hunting. In school and his home life, he often seems to be disinterested and sleepy. He uses avoidance tactics for things he doesn’t like such as physically turning his back on a conversation, or simply not being present at appointments or classes. The right Tutor for his needs will have to be very fun and engaging, as well as very patient.

This is a long-term tutoring role starting in September 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter. The role will focus on the youngest student’s needs, but the Tutor should also expect to provide support, oversight and guidance to help the oldest student manage his heavy workload. Their sister is thought to require less assistance in this area at present, but the Tutor should also be aware of her needs and provide support if required. The family are planning to engage the services of a local college counselling company and appreciate that they may also need a specialist science and math tutor, so the Tutor need not be overly concerned with all of the oldest student’s school choices or applications. That said, the Tutor must have an excellent academic record themselves, and it would be helpful if they had an understanding of the standards maintained by top US high schools and colleges.

While the Tutor is not expected to have all of the oldest student’s subjects, he or she should be able to understand the material he is covering and be able to follow the curriculum, providing pointers and tips as to how he can improve. 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 have a wide knowledge base and a range of extra-curricular 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. He or she should have a passion for learning and a deep-seated enthusiasm for sharing knowledge.

In terms of supporting the youngest student, it is likely that the Tutor will work within the framework of his current school for some of the time, either as a Teaching Assistant, or taking him from some of his classes and providing 1:1 tuition for certain subjects. He is determined not to be away from his peer group and social contacts, so the Tutor must make sure that this time is viewed in a positive light and not as a form of punishment. Accordingly, they should design fun and exciting lessons that can help to inspire a sense of curiosity in him which will hopefully then bleed into his time in the classroom.

The Tutor must be able to build strong working relationships with the staff at the youngest student’s current school, as well as the household staff at the family home. Given the amount of time the Tutor will be spending in the presence of others, it is essential that they have excellent team-building and diplomacy skills. In addition to supporting him in his school environment, the Tutor should expect to support him with his homework and with any suitable extension work or excursions after school. They should be dedicated and disciplined in their own preparations and should plan creative lessons and projects. These should take full advantage of the immediate locale, integrating classroom lessons with outdoor, hands on study periods and practical science or technology sessions in the appropriate location. The Tutor should make full use of their surroundings visiting relevant museums, exhibitions, plays and conferences as well as exploiting the natural resources for biology, geology, geography and history lessons etc.

The successful candidate for this role will need to be upbeat and have plenty of energy. This role requires a resourceful, intelligent and knowledgeable tutor who is relaxed and easy-going with a sunny disposition on the one hand whilst also being firm, encouraging and sensible. They should set a good example for the children through their behavior and conduct. The Tutor should introduce effective study methods for all three as well as revision strategies and stress management exercises that could help in them in their future lives – both academic and professional.

The family are very pleasant, and all of the children seem to get on well with one another. Both parents are well educated and supportive of their children, although the father currently has less time available for them than he would like. They are relatively strict, but their methods seem to have produced good results and the family clearly function well as a unit. It is essential in this role that the Tutor remembers their place. This is not the kind of role where the Tutor should hope to become ‘one of the family’. Instead, he or she should remain professional at all times and respectful of the family’s privacy. The Tutor should have a ‘small footprint’ and be seemingly invisible when not invited to be otherwise.

All three children are sporty, and it would be advantageous if the Tutor were likewise able to appreciate and join in with sporting activities. It would be helpful if the Tutor could share some of their hobbies and perhaps introduce them to new ones which the whole family could enjoy.

The successful candidate will be able to offer more than the minimum requirements of this position and must 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.

The Tutor will typically work up to 40 hours per week over 5 days, most likely Monday – Fridays. They are entitled to an average of two consecutive days off per week but should be mindful that as with all such roles, an element of flexibility is required.

The Tutor will be provided with a furnished apartment, suitable for a single person, near to the family home. All rent, utilities, and Internet on the Tutor’s accommodation will be arranged and paid for by the Client. This role is not suited to a couple or a family wishing to relocate.

The Client is not responsible for the Tutor’s personal phone bills.

There may be occasional periods of travel, during which the Tutor will be reimbursed for any travel costs.

A car will be provided for reasonable use by the Tutor.

The Tutor should be fit and healthy, a non-smoker.

The Tutor will need to have permission to work in the USA. This is likely to mean that they will be a US national, or British, in which case Tutors International will be able to provide a visa.

The family are very private, and the Tutor should be mindful of their need for their space to be respected. The Tutor should be prepared to leave a very small footprint in the Client’s house and should be able to work effectively while involving the principal of the family as little as possible.