Florida and Indiana (FLO 0524)

At 3, the eldest daughter is a really lovely young lady. She is friendly and confident, curious and engaged in the world around her. She is being raised in a bilingual environment so sometimes switches between languages as she talks. She was slow to start speaking, a common result of bilingualism, but her parents are of the belief that emerging problems should be dealt with promptly, and so she has benefitted from a few sessions with a speech therapist. She is a very girly-girl – she loves butterflies, singing and dancing. She has a highly expressive manner and a warm disposition which will make her a joy to work with.

The younger sister is 18 months old, but already displaying a strong character. She is a determined young lady, and almost doesn’t recognise the age difference between her and her sister. If her big sister is doing something that she wants to do too, she will find a way to join in even if her motor skills aren’t quite up to the level of a 3-year-old. The 18 month-old is like her sister –friendly, curious and confident. She loves the outdoors and will quite happily spend time sitting in the grass and chattering with a trusted grown up. Her language skills are more advanced than her sister's were at the same age, but this may be the result of having an older sibling to converse with.

The children’s parents have a successful family business and a strong work ethic. Their mother works from a home office and is always on hand for activities like swimming lessons in the nearby town. She folds her afternoon working hours around the girls’ routine, often working while they have their afternoon naps, and again once the girls have gone to bed. Their father is a very involved Dad, but he too works long hours on the family business, and this often takes him away from home for a couple of days at a time.

Together, the girls and their parents make a very strong family unit. It is clear that the parents have made a stable and loving environment for their daughters, and their decision to retain a Tutor is further proof of their dedication to their children. The girls’ father hails from a Christian background but is of the opinion that religion – as with many things – should not be blindly followed. He wants his children to grow up thinking independently and having the confidence to ask intelligent questions. Both parents want their girls to be open-minded, tolerant and kind young ladies, but with the wisdom and street smarts to spot poor logic trails or duplicitous behavior in others. They want them to be well prepared for our modern world, with solid academic foundations across the board and the self-belief to pursue their passions as far as they can take them.

It is possible that a second 18-month-old girl may be joining the two sisters as they go about their activities. This young lady is the daughter of the mother’s assistant – she is a smiley child who currently spends her time either in the family office or playing with the sisters. Although non-family members are employed by the business and in the house, it is abundantly clear that the family themselves have expanded to include their employees, and everyone works together feeling respected and valued.

As the girls are so young, the Tutor’s focus should be on learning through play. In Florida, the family live on a small-holding of 100 acres, with ample space to play and explore. They have a vegetable plot with two miniature cows, chickens from which they get their eggs, and which attracts lots of butterflies. This environment provides plenty of opportunity for nature walks, leaf rubbings, forest school lessons and more. Within the house, there is space to be creative with art, movement and music, all of which should be encouraged. The house in Indiana is similarly appointed, but the family are considering building a designated tutoring area where the Tutor can base themselves without the need to pack away each day. This schoolroom will need to be properly resourced with interesting pictures on the walls, a well-stocked bookshelf and an array of craft materials as well as educational toys, musical instruments and more.

Both girls love books, and being read to is a pleasure for them. This interest in literature should be wholeheartedly encouraged, especially as the girls edge towards reading themselves. The Tutor should weave literacy and numeracy into their sessions in a way that encourages them to learn almost by osmosis. For example, baking cookies incorporates reading a recipe together (literacy) and weighing ingredients (numeracy). Indeed, the Tutor should explore a range of activities and crafts that can engage both girls while helping them develop strong academic foundations.

As the girls grow, the Tutor should seek out opportunities to connect with other home-schooled children in the area. Their parents are very mindful of the need to socialise their children, especially if they are to attend school when they are a little older. Sports teams, dance and drama groups and organisations such as Scouts provide good opportunities for mixing with peers, and the Tutor should explore all such available activities alongside learning groups and child-friendly sessions at local libraries, museums, art galleries, theatres and the like.

The family primarily speak Spanish at home, so it is imperative that their Tutor is fully bilingual in both Spanish and English. A third language would be looked upon favorably. They would like their girls to have exposure to music and as many extra curricula activities as possible to help them unlock their passions – a Tutor who can bring a range of skills to the role would be at an advantage.

The family are very mindful of what they feed the girls. They try to eat as organically as possible and present the girls with as little sugar as they can. That said, the older sister has a weakness for ice cream, although surprisingly she is not too fussed about regular candies. The father has expressed a desire for the Tutor to have some understanding of nutrition, partly to help keep the girls’ diets as healthy as possible, but also to help him and his wife ensure that they make good choices regarding meals and snacks. The parents are also keen that the Tutor hold a current first aid qualification or be willing to obtain one.

The role is one that will likely grow as the girls pass through their developmental stages. At the beginning, it is envisaged that the Tutor will work with the girls for about 6 hours each day, raising to 8 hours per day when appropriate. The Tutor's schedule will likely follow a standard working week with their weekends off, but they should remain flexible in this regard. If any changes are made to the timetable, the family will endeavor to give a minimum of two weeks’ notice. A typical working day for the Tutor will start at 8am and go through lunchtime with the girls. They are still having an afternoon nap, at which point the Tutor will likely spend time tidying up the morning’s activities and planning future sessions. As the girls sleep less, the Tutor will have longer contact hours.

The role requires a creative, energetic and fun individual who can embrace the whimsy and imagination of young learners and engage them in constructive play. The Tutor should encourage conversation and curiosity. They should have the ability to explain complex concepts at an appropriate level and shouldn’t be afraid to encourage the girls’ natural inquisitiveness. They should differentiate their teaching to ensure the sisters learn at their appropriate levels but shouldn’t be afraid to teach both girls a broad range of topics. Their family home in Florida, for example, is a brilliant place to view the stars, and an early introduction to astronomy (appropriately pitched!) may spark a life-long interest in the subject.

The family have mixed feelings about electronics. They understand that it will be necessary for the girls to embrace technology so they can fully experience the modern world, but for the moment they are trying to limit screentime to one hour a day. They are careful about the kind of programs that the girls are exposed to, vastly preferring shows like Bluey to the violence displayed in old cartoons like Tom and Jerry. Educational apps are acceptable – Duolingo ABC and Teach Your Monster to Read will be good ways to reinforce literacy, Number Blocks or equivalent would be helpful for numeracy, Light Bot Hour is a gentle introduction to coding and logic…

The Tutor will typically work on 5 days each week from Monday to Friday for an average of 40 hours with preparation time in addition.

The Tutor should follow a structured timetable as much as possible but should look to adjust this to fit with the children’s needs. It is essential that the Tutor collaborates with the Client in overall child management responsibilities.

The Tutor will be entitled to a minimum of 9 weeks holiday (45 working days) per year, to be taken at times agreed upon with the family.

The Tutor will be provided with furnished accommodation, which may either be on the family’s estates or in an apartment in a nearby town. A car will be provided for the Tutor’s use, or the Tutor may choose to bring their own.

Expenses related to travel, save for the Tutor’s personal telephone bill, will be covered by the Client.

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. They will not only be excellent Early Years practitioners, but also good role models: educated and polished, with excellent manners and personal values.

The Tutor must be fit, healthy and a 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.