The family have two children, a boy age 7 (going into Y2), and a girl of 10 (going into Y5). Both children are in the IB program of their respective age groups. The girl is doing well academically and does not need any specific help with her schooling, but the boy has had a less secure start to his education and the family now feel that his confidence and results would benefit considerably from the support of a full time tutor in addition to school.

The family have lived in Dubai for 5 years. From 2005-07 the boy attended an international school, where he was top of his class. The school was not academically challenging though, and in 2007 the boy was moved to the local branch of a well-known UK independent school. During the year, the boy’s mother was away for prolonged periods because of illness. In addition, the new schooling style did not suit the boy. These two factors combined to undermine the boy’s confidence so effectively that, even though he has been re-enrolled at his original school, he has not recovered anything like the self-belief and confidence that was so much a part of his character before 2007.

Both children are bright, articulate and interesting young people. The boy loves cartoons and computer games; he likes sports, especially football and riding his bike. He also enjoys music, arts and crafts, skateboarding, golf and skiing. He is particularly keen on Science and the kind of practical experiments that can be done safely at home. Interestingly, although the boy can certainly read, he prefers to make it appear as though he can’t

During the summer, the tutor should create a fun and play-learning activity plan for the boy. This has several purposes: it will keep him active and busy, and help him transition from a disappointing school year last year into a more successful one next year. There is also a suspicion, raised by one of the schools, that he may have some dyslexia and while there was no evidence of this in his behaviour or work, a period of evaluation would obviously be useful. Finally, the summer evaluation process should be used to help assess what future directions might be advisable.

There are some complex family dynamics that a Tutor will need to find effective and tactful ways to manage. The boy’s father is extremely busy with his work; the mother was born in Brazil and describes herself as having a Latin temperament. The boy was born prematurely and has perhaps been overprotected, something he has learned to manipulate to his full advantage. The girl has discovered that she can cause a scene by bullying her brother. The boy too has learned that he can cause a scene by making it appear that his sister has hurt him, or indeed annoying her until she does.

The children’s mother tends to react first and then consider later. Both parents are fully aware of this pattern and feel that one of the roles of the Tutor will be to help the mother, in particular, with how she interprets events at home (and at school) and how she chooses to respond to these events.

The placement will suit a single person, a qualified and experienced educator who knows the primary curriculum well and understands child development, both inside and outside the classroom. The mother, in particular, is heavily involved in the lives of her children and is fiercely protective of them. She is also extremely intelligent and wants to learn from the Tutor what the purpose is behind decisions made by the school regarding how her children learn.

The Tutor will need to have a sense of humour, a strong character and be a clear communicator so that he/she can explain in a clear and firm manner what modifications could be made to the way in which the children’s parents manage them and how this is currently reinforcing unwanted behaviours.
The Tutor will need to be a non-smoker, and enjoy a healthy and physically active lifestyle. The family has several cats and dogs and so the Tutor will need to be comfortable with animals.

Applicants are reminded that they are applying for a role in an Arab country where the client must sponsor the Tutor’s visa. It is essential that the Tutor understands, respects, and adheres to the code of conduct in force in Dubai. Shortlisted candidates will need to pass a medical exam and provide the Company and Client with the results of a blood test that proves that they are negative for TB and HIV/AIDS, and that proves that they are not regular users of any recreational drugs.

The Tutor will normally work a 30-hour week with the boy; preparation will be in addition to this. The Tutor will have weekends off; these are normally Thursday and Friday.

Any days normally considered public holidays in the UK will also be free, but it is explicitly noted that local holidays in Dubai are not considered days off unless they happen to coincide with a public holiday in the UK. Where there is a holiday in Dubai but not in the UK, the Tutor should expect to work longer hours because the school is closed.

Although summer assignments do not usually include a vacation allowance, the family will be away from 24-28 July and the Tutor will be given this time off.

The Client has booked rooms for the Tutor in a small boutique hotel near the family home, for the duration of the assignment. Breakfast each day is included. Meals occurring during tutoring time will provided by the family - all others are the Tutor’s responsibility.

The Client will provide travel costs to and from the Tutor’s home as per the Terms of Business. A car will be provided; it is essential that the Tutor has a clean driving licence. If the Tutor is invited to travel with the family, the Client will meet their expenses in full.