Punta del Este (URU 1022)

The eldest brother is a bright and curious 8-year-old boy, who is currently enrolled in Grade 2 at the International school. He is a resilient and caring young man who enjoys many hobbies including board games, Lego, Roblox, Minecraft and Nintendo switch games. He has shown a keen interest in learning to code and recently took part in a coding camp while visiting New York. As well as his passion for all things technological, the young man is an active child who surfs, gardens, skates, swims, rides horses, plays tennis and golf, as well as practising piano and enjoying art. He has been attending weekly online sessions with Synthesis – which places importance on problem-solving, collaboration and reflection – and has been enjoying these immensely.

At school, his strongest subjects are usually maths and reading and he enjoys art. He would benefit most from support with his writing and sporting activities. As with many young boys, he can be stubborn at times and occasionally emotional, but his natural intelligence will be a genuine pleasure for any educator to engage and work with.

His younger brother is the focus of this role. He is 4 years old and enrolled in K4 at the International school. He is a happy, lively child who enjoys many different toys and games but also follows in his older brothers’ footsteps with regards his enjoyment of Minecraft, Roblox and other video games. Although only four, he already speaks Spanish and English and has even started learning some French. He also enjoys tennis, swimming, skateboarding, horseback riding and Taekwondo.

The younger of the brothers, he is an affectionate, physical child who has not settled well in school. Last year, he was the youngest in a mixed age cohort and was frustrated at not being able to participate in the same way as his peers. A one-on-one shadow teacher was assigned to help him access the work and stop him from becoming overwhelmed. He is young and still developing his social skills and character. Both boys have been seeing an occupational therapist regularly and follow several sports programmes with specialists as well. They get along well at home and although - as with all siblings - there are occasional disputes, they work and play well together.

The boys were both born in Argentina, where the parents are originally from, and are already widely travelled. Their current school is supposed to be offering them a personalised, enquiry-led education. However, the boys’ parents are finding it more formal than they had hoped. This, combined with their love of exploring and travelling as a family has precipitated the search for an outstanding individual who can use play and travel to help the children discover and develop through experiences. Encouraging discussion, helping them learn to think critically, developing their problem-solving skills and learning through reflection - as they move through the world – much like the Ancient Greek model of tutoring.

When at the family home in Uruguay, the Tutor will work with the boys after school, managing their extra-curricular activities. This might involve picking them up and driving them to organised clubs and camps, or planning and delivering tailored academic projects. These could be sporting, coding or challenging them with new goals. The Tutor will need to act as liaison between the family and the school, coordinating their efforts with the boys’ teachers and ensuring strong communication and a good working relationship. The Tutor will also help develop and maintain a general love of learning while evolving their wider interests, along with providing support with schoolwork if necessary.

During periods of travel, the Tutor will work closely with the school to ensure all necessary work is completed and that the boys are kept up to date with their peers. This will allow them to reintegrate into their classes seamlessly upon their return. Clearly then, the Tutor will need to be flexible, creative and accommodating, and able to make the most of all the locations they will be visiting. The family are keen for the children to join clubs and camps while travelling to ensure they spend time around other children as well. The Tutor will be expected to research, recommend and organise these opportunities for the boys wherever possible.

The Tutor will need to be personable and enthusiastic. An excellent track record with primary children is essential. They will also need to speak high-level Spanish, as both English and Spanish are used in the family home. An interest in coding and technology would be advantageous to help nurture the boys’ natural curiosity in this area. Some French would also be helpful, as this is the children’s third language of choice. A good sense of humour and ability to make lessons amusing and memorable would be highly desirable.

At the family home, a large playroom would be made available as the teaching space, though the boys are not expected to finish school and then come home to sit in another classroom environment. This will simply be the space available for the Tutor and the brothers to explore through discussion and enquiry-led learning. The Tutor will responsibly promote sensible habits in relation to electronic device usage. The family expect technology to be a tool for the boys to master in life, but they also need to be able to manage themselves without it.

The appointed candidate will be highly educated, intelligent, well-travelled, responsible, practical, and down-to-earth, with a strong sense of fun and a wide range of personal interests they can bring to the role. The Tutor needs to be physically fit and active. They should also be interested in, and enjoy, world affairs, politics, media and culture, as it is important that the children are introduced to all these topics. The Tutor should have the intellectual range to help the students begin to become well rounded, intellectually curious, environmentally conscious and thoughtful world citizens.

In Uruguay, the Tutor will be expected to work with the boys in the afternoons for around 30 hours per week, with preparation in addition. Their school day finishes at 2pm and the Tutor will likely spend the rest of the afternoon with the boys.

The Tutor will be entitled to an average of two consecutive days off per week, normally at the weekend, but may need to be flexible regarding the family’s travel plans and the children’s other activities.

The Tutor will be entitled to a minimum of 9 weeks holiday (45 working days) per year, to be taken during school holidays and at times agreed upon with the family. The Tutor will be flexible with respect to any changes in schedule, be they travel-related or otherwise and will adapt accordingly. The Client will strive to give up to two weeks’ notice of any planned alterations.

The Tutor will have use of a private guest room on the family property initially. Once established, a rental stipend will be provided by the client and the Tutor will find independent accommodation nearby.

The Client will provide a car and ensure that the Tutor stays in private accommodation when travelling. All expenses will be covered by the Client except for the Tutor’s personal phone bill and fuel.

The Tutor must be a fit and healthy non-smoker – active and energetic with a love for the outdoors; the kind of person who always makes the most of their environment to enhance teaching and learning opportunities. They must also be a competent driver.

The family have a small dog at home and horses on their property, as such, the Tutor will need to be comfortable around animals.

The ideal applicant will have plenty of experience, enthusiasm and energy. They must be capable of adapting their teaching to fit the variable circumstances of working with two young children at home or while travelling. The family are close and are keen for a friendly and fun learning environment for their children.