Student
The student is currently 8 and in 2nd Grade. Having formerly attended a British international pre-school and a project-based progressive school for kindergarten in New York, he later completed one year at a school specializing in dyslexia. He joined a collaborative home school ‘pod’ with some other students and a Tutors International Tutor in 2020 and has been taught privately at his home by another TI Tutor over the past year. The benefits of the move to a home school setting were twofold. Firstly, to meet desired safety requirements of the Covid-19 pandemic, and secondly, to allow for the potential to travel in the future. Succeeding current travel restrictions and worries, prospective travel plans might include stays both in the United States and abroad.
The student is a spirited, fun, and kind boy. He is helpful, considerate, and well-liked by teachers and peers. He appreciates truthful teachers and those who strive to entertain and are good listeners. He finds conventional classes boring and needs to feel inspired and engaged away from the norm. He benefits from consistent, structured instruction and practice to strengthen his maths and English skills, but in other subjects appreciates more creative approaches to learning. Daily homework is welcomed but should not exceed 30 minutes. He relishes extra playtime and taking occasional local field trips, as well as teachers who will surprise him and engage in his sense of humor.
The student is animated and playful, with mature manners and compassion for others. He is learning to be more aware of his own feelings and regulate his emotional reactions with less and less external guidance. He flourishes in calm, positive environments, free from undue sadness or frustration. He is unquestionably funny, boasting a great sense of humor and close relationship with his mother. He is an only child growing up in a single-parent family. Although he may find it difficult to share attention at times, he is generally well-adapted in a socially diverse, laidback, and communicative household. He is a nature lover and is particularly fond of his animals. He describes one of his dogs as being a fun and patient friend, with whom he loves to play. He enjoys exploring the woods and caves and learning about tools and machinery used around the farm. He has a charming manner of communicating his ideas and is articulate and expressive in his delivery.
Both in more formal school settings and whilst in attendance of the pod, the young man displays a great number of strengths. For example, he is a lively storyteller with a vivid imagination. He is musically inclined, enjoying singing most but also learning to play keyboard, guitar, and the djembe drum. He is curious to understand how things work and are put together and can follow instructions to build simple machines. He is also increasingly tablet-/computer-savvy. He is athletic, despite not having had much exposure to competitive sporting environments or closely following sports for pleasure. He enjoys swimming, cycling, trampolining, and playing baseball. He also relishes the opportunity to develop his culinary skills and always looks forward to cooking lessons each week.
The student's struggles with reading progression and pace, along with working memory, led to a diagnosis of dyslexia. He also shows traits of dysgraphia and ADHD. These learning differences undoubtedly affect his ability to develop certain skills at the expected rate, along with affecting his confidence and fear of failure. A lack of concentration, focus and a tendency towards non-linear thinking are also detrimental to his academic development. Despite these hurdles, he works well at school and continues to make great improvements.
Like his mother, he has a great, artistic imagination and loves to make things. For instance, he enjoys building structures out of Lego and whittling with wood. He is a nature-lover, accustomed to spending time outdoors on his family’s farm with plentiful animals. He never tires of listening to stories and books read aloud and displays a very strong interest in video games and movies. He likes to playfully act out scenarios from both his imagination and from movies. Everyday occurrences often remind him of scenes from movies, and role play has proven to be an effective learning structure at school as well.
Role of the Tutor
The right candidate for this role will be independent and focused in their approach to deliver a varied and well-balanced education for the young man. The Tutor will be required to travel with the student and his mother on occasion, always optimizing geographical locations and experiences to ensure a diverse education and access to an abundance of useful life skills. They will nurture a positive attitude towards learning to inspire his future endeavors and later pursuits. In-depth knowledge of the US educational system would be preferable, along with SEN specialist skills.
It is essential that the Tutor be well-versed in the challenges that the student faces in his access to coherent learning. Expertise and dominance of strategies to facilitate academic success, knowledge retention, concentration, and physical coordination for those experiencing elements of dyslexia, dyspraxia, and mild ADHD, are fundamental to the role. A familiarity with both the Ron Davis Method and phonics-based instruction techniques (Orton-Gillingham or Lindamood Bell) would be highly beneficial in catering to his needs. The overall goal is to maintain and enhance his happiness and enjoyment of school, whilst in turn aiding his academic discovery.
The Tutor will be responsible for deciphering tools and designing tailor made resources for the student. Subjects taught should include English, math, science, social studies, Spanish, art, music, Health/PE and computer/technology. The Tutor should exercise the invaluable opportunity for the student to pursue the ideas of his imaginary world, perhaps by writing original stories, composing original pieces of music, or making short films as he is currently keen to do. They must always explore fun avenues to maintain interest and spark a love for learning.
The ideal Tutor will be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, respectful of the family’s health and safety, and mindful of their social bubble. They will encourage play and healthy social interaction with other children, recognizing that the past two years have significantly restricted the young man's opportunities for socialization with other children. They will deliver a bespoke blend of academic and project-based resources, fostering a fun, interactive learning environment, in which academic progression and a thirst for knowledge will naturally develop in parallel.
Any shared interests amongst the vast array of pastimes enjoyed by the student would be welcomed, along with a love of the natural world, an interest in farming and animals, and knowledge of tools, weapons, and machines. They will respect his mother’s wish to limit screen time and channel this towards educational avenues. The flexibility offered by home schooling, means that the Tutor will be largely autonomous in their approach to planning and execution of classes and projects, therefore, well-documented progress tracking will be essential.Hours, Holidays, Accommodation and Travel
This is a full-time role. The Tutor should expect to have an average of 30-40 hours contact time per a week, with preparation time in addition. The Tutor will adapt to changes in schedule when travelling between different home locations and beyond.
The Tutor is entitled to an average of two consecutive days off per week, which, in the current climate, can be expected, yet not guaranteed to fall on weekends. The Tutor will most commonly be advised of any changes to weekend days off up to two weeks in advance.
The role will initially commence on the family’s farm in Kentucky. Whenever possible, future travel will include another home in New York and visits across Europe and Asia.
In Kentucky, the Tutor will be provided with accommodation either in a separate farmhouse, which is also home to a school room and shared kitchen, or in a separate, private, house in neighboring Louisville. The Client will provide a car for the Tutor if necessary and will be responsible for all bills relating to the role, except for the Tutor’s personal phone and food bills.
Miscellaneous
The student's fun-loving, imaginative nature necessitates the attention and dedication of an inventive and resourceful individual. The Tutor will be hands-on in their manner of teaching philosophy, play and practical activities. They may also be a Spanish speaker like his mother, offering the language as an additional subject at school.
The Tutor will be energetic, fit, healthy, and a non-smoker.
The Tutor should note that the family lives on a farm in the countryside and so candidates who have allergies to domestic and farm animals, grasses, or flowers, should not apply for this role.
Contractual details
- Start: No later than August 2022
- Duration: 12 months initially; annual renewals possible
- Hours: 30-40 hours per week, plus preparation
- Salary: $139,500 USD per annum
- Accommodation: Provided
- Car: Provided
- Vacation: Minimum 9 weeks per annum
- Application deadline: Monday, January 31, 2022