Washington DC (WDC 0523)

There are two children – a girl aged 4 and a boy who is nearly 1. The girl is the focus of this recruitment, but as the boy approaches school age the role will expand to encompass his education.

The girl is a bright and engaging young lady, with a curiosity about her world that will serve her well as she matures. She is a polite, energetic, and creative individual. Although she has not had any formal schooling, she has had the benefit of a 20 hour a week private tutor for the last year. The family are not interested in pursuing traditional school environments for their children at this stage. The children's father never felt fully challenged academically, which resulted in him dropping out of Harvard after the first year – he wants something more for his children.

The aim is for the children to learn organically. There is no specific academic goal in mind, but the parents want their daughter, and eventually their son, to grow academically at their own pace with their individual capabilities driving the lessons. The parents want both children to develop the ability to think critically and problem-solve independently as they view these skills as more important than having a specific list of academic competencies and knowledge of specific facts.

The family are kind, erudite and hands on with their children. They are cognisant of the benefits of private tuition and are hoping to find someone able to create the kind of learning environment which, while challenging for their children, is also supportive, nurturing, and inspirational. The family are based in Washington DC, but also have a home in Texas. They plan to travel extensively as the boy gets a little older. There are no set destinations yet, but Iceland, Chile, Uruguay, and South Africa have all been mooted.

The family are relatively conservative in their outlook and hold deeply seated Christian views. The right teacher will share these values or be comfortable aligning their curriculum with them. The Tutor should act as a buttress to the family in this respect – reinforcing their values and helping to perpetuate their views.

Having a bespoke educational solution will allow the family to use the world as their classroom and learn together. Both parents are keen to be involved in the education of their children but are happy to do so under the guidance of a specialist. Ultimately, they want their children to grow into purposeful, balanced and happy adults who possess the skills and confidence to pursue any career or hobby in which they may develop an interest.

The right Tutor for this role will be someone who can manage the development and delivery of a balanced, inspiring, and fun curriculum. They will need experience in early years education, and must be able to create and administer reading, writing, and math lessons that enthuse and challenge the children in equal measure. A structured approach to phonics and experience teaching phonics in this way is also necessary.

The family is kind, ambitious, and eager to take advantage of DC's learning opportunities. A teacher who can navigate the city and use it as a classroom alongside the on-site schoolroom will be well-suited for the role. They have no preference between US and UK education pathways at this stage and are happy to cherry-pick from both as it suits. The family are interested in project-based learning because it fits well with their lifestyle and values.

The successful Tutor will have a good sense of humor and the ability to make lessons entertaining and memorable. The parents are keen to take advantage of all that tutoring can offer and have expressed an interest in exposing their children to Spanish and music. A Tutor with language skills and the ability to play an instrument would be at an advantage.

The Tutor must be an excellent record keeper. He or she must be organized, self-reliant, and independent. They should be eloquent, able to explain concepts simply, and to inspire with their enthusiasm for any given subject. He or she should be a natural communicator with a kind and caring disposition, and a firm-but-fair approach to their work.

Quality of life is of the utmost importance to the family, and they are looking for the right Tutor to fit with their lifestyle as a family, not just with their education needs. The Tutor should be prepared to get involved with the family in various projects where appropriate, and act as part of the family team in the sense of doing small jobs around the house as they notice them. Emptying the dishwasher, for example, or bringing in the groceries. There is no expectation that this role will carry any nannying duties.

Above all, the Tutor must be a consummate professional and uphold the family’s values. They will be expected to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and keep their personal views and opinions on potentially contentious subjects, such as religion and politics, to themselves. The family would like to find someone for the long term and want that Tutor to have maturity and professionalism in their craft.

The family have a strong preference against the use of screens and social media in the raising of their children, allied with what might be seen as a more traditional reinforcement/redirection style of behaviour management. It will be essential for the Tutor to be of the same mindset as the Client regarding screens and child development to ensure consistency from the key adults in the children's lives.

This will be a lovely role for the right Tutor – the family is warm, caring, and good company, and the children will be a delight to teach.

The right teacher must be energetic and physically fit as they will spend up to 8 hours daily working and playing 1:1 with the student. They should expect an average of 40 hours of contact time per a week, with preparation in addition.

The Tutor will be entitled to two consecutive days off per week, normally at the weekend, but it is essential that they understand the need to be flexible regarding the family’s travel plans and other commitments.

The Tutor will have a minimum of 9 weeks off per annum, to be taken 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 Client will provide accommodation in Washington DC in the form of a private apartment or equivalent. The Client will provide a vehicle for the Tutor.

The Tutor will likely be required to accompany the family on some, if not all, of their trips abroad. The Client will ensure that the Tutor stays in private accommodation when travelling. When travelling, expenses will be covered by the Client except for the Tutor’s personal phone bill and personal fuel use.

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 be physically fit and healthy, a non-smoker.