North Of Ponce (PR 0421)

A charming young lady, soon to be 9, is the focus of this search. Her family is pioneering the idea of a local schoolhouse, which she will share with some neighbouring children. The girl’s native language is English, and she is rapidly learning Spanish with her local peers in Puerto Rico. She is extremely articulate for her age and boasts a warm, caring personality. Until now, she has received limited mainstream schooling. She attended an uninspiring preschool in Costa Rica, before completing First Grade in Puerto Rico. Second Grade was cut short after only three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, presenting an exciting opportunity to set the wheels in motion for the small-scale school that her parents have in mind.

The basic school environment that the girl attended thus far served to bond with children of similar ages and nourish the social aspects of childhood. However, her academic learning journey has mostly taken place at home through informal home schooling. Thanks to a teaching background, her father has been able to offer structured learning, although she is missing time spent with other children. Despite being lonely at times, her home schooling has included visits to various countries and even time at sea. The arrangement has undoubtedly served her well academically, but she is keen to interact with other children on a regular basis.

The girl is a true bookworm. She reads for pleasure and to educate herself on horses. Reading and horses are amongst her greatest passions, along with a fondness of art, swimming and baking. She also enjoys playground games, along with cards and board games. Her fascination for horses inspires her to work hard in her family’s orchard. She looks after and nurtures the plants from seeds to flower, with extreme care. She is aware of the needs of the flowers and fruits, when to dry them and so on. She relies on the fruits and weather signs to dictate the process, rather than strictly following instructions or a textbook. Her knowledge on the subject is remarkable for her age and she hopes to fulfil the dream of buying her own horses one day with the proceeds of her farming, and to take up riding. She is not a fan of other sports.

The girl is a fast learner and when motivated, is enthusiastic to investigate and broaden her knowledge. She is unfazed by learning new subjects, however, sometimes feels frustrated and prone to give up and seek help too soon when facing problems and puzzles. A Tutor who could encourage different methods and angles to explore and solve problems would be ideal for a student like her.

There are five (possibly six) other children in the neighbourhood who would be included in this new venture. They are all native Spanish speakers and have not received any notable education in the past. Although they may have attended state schools previous to their closure, it is possible that some of them are unable to read or understand basic mathematics. Nevertheless, they are all lovely children from good homes. Their parents share a desire for them to succeed and given the girl’s friendly, outgoing nature, she would welcome their participation and make friends quickly.

The girl learns most effectively when material is relatable and in context with real life experiences. She also favours teachers who are fun and fair, who permit peer collaboration and allow her to be herself. She responds less effectively to unduly strict teachers who make her feel like she is in a cage, as opposed to a classroom. She wants to be able to talk to her friends and enjoy an open yet focused classroom environment.

This role would be best suited to a driven, self-motivated individual who can bring the vision of a traditional one-room school to life. With the parents, but not micro-managed, the Tutor should build an enriching curriculum and deliver structured lessons, providing personal attention and interaction appropriate to each student's age, ability and linguistic development. The Tutor will work closely with the family and uphold high expectations. They will ultimately be responsible for the majority of lesson planning and day-to-day instruction. It is expected that the quality of education provided should meet or exceed that of the most prestigious preparatory schools. The Tutor will provide a rigorous education that prepares students for a competitive and rapidly changing world, encouraging them to be well-rounded, independent citizens of the future.

The school will offer a primarily English (British or American) curriculum, aiming to achieve a high level of English for the entire group. The children will thus achieve accurate fluency and develop effective, formal writing skills, whilst also making the most of the local environment and geographic advantages.

Other areas of instruction will include a broad range of subjects in addition to the fundamentals of maths, history, and science. Further to academic study, practical vocational skills are desired, encouraging independent problem solving, inquisitiveness and the ability to figure things out autonomously. The family wishes to foster simplistic yet effective teaching techniques, which will lead to competency across the board.

The dedicated school building will ideally house a kitchen, allowing food preparation to form part of the daily school routine. The children should be taught how to prepare their own food with both local and imported ingredients, how to make healthy choices, and how to independently care for themselves and their households, using equipment and appliances safely.

The tutor should be analytical of situations, in order to adjust requirements and maintain the best possible outcomes for the school. They will be confident and proactive to make improvements and help the school setting to reach its full potential as a fun, interactive learning hub, with minimal supervision and maximum results. The Tutor should exhibit punctuality, professionalism, reliability and a clear sense of duty and honour in both personal and professional life. They will respect the family’s privacy and lifestyle along with being mindful of limiting devices to educational purposes only. They desire for their daughter and peers to experience the world through their own eyes, rather than from behind a screen or influenced by social media.

The complexity and responsibility of this position lend themselves to a superbly organised individual with outstanding organisational skills and impeccable record keeping. They will seamlessly juggle a range of ages, levels of attainment and bilingual resources, and must, therefore, have a keen eye for detail and unrivalled dedication to the role.

The family intentionally avoids unnecessary extravagances or opulent excess, preferring to emphasise the virtues of frugality, humility, and self-sufficiency. The Tutor should bear this in mind and be discreet in this regard.