Round the World (RTW 0424)

The eldest sibling, nine years old and going into grade five, displays a competitive spirit particularly in sports, mirroring the family’s overall active and engaged lifestyle. She plays guitar, showcasing her musical inclinations which align with the family's creative and artistic values. The young lady appreciates educators who adopt a gentle and subtle approach but simultaneously understands the importance of structured guidance, like the coaching she receives in sports. This balance allows her some level of autonomy in learning while ensuring she remains disciplined and focused on her goals. She is vocal about her preferences in educational styles, favoring those that encourage her involvement and understanding through methods that might seem lenient but are strategically structured.

The younger sister is six years old and preparing to enter grade two. In contrast to her sister, she presents a quieter, more introspective demeanor. She exhibits a concrete, straightforward approach to learning, which is evident in her meticulous and detailed model-building activities. She is less forthcoming about her educational preferences, often showing her inclinations through actions rather than words. Her projects, such as the model of apartments she created, display a keen attention to detail and an emerging understanding of scale and design. Despite her quieter nature compared to her sister, the youngest actively participates in music, playing the ukulele, which adds to her creative expressions like her older sister.

Both girls engage actively with their environment, participating in cooking with their mother and taking on responsibilities that teach them practical life skills. They are being raised in a nurturing and intellectually stimulating atmosphere, where learning is seamlessly integrated into daily activities. The girls also share interests in music and arts, indicative of their well-rounded upbringing. Their competitive nature, likely inherited from their parents, is channeled positively into sports and intellectual pursuits, fostering a healthy sense of ambition and achievement.

This role requires a highly adaptable individual who can integrate learning with the diverse activities and interests of the family. The Tutor will be responsible for providing a comprehensive, adaptable educational program that embraces the family’s unique approach to learning through travel. This includes implementing a bespoke educational package that integrates ‘Exploration Learning Principle’, ‘Expeditionary Learning’, and ‘Project-Based Learning’ frameworks that leverage the family’s global travels as a dynamic classroom, encouraging a practical, kinesthetic learning style. While the academic focus is not on following a rigid curriculum, it is essential the girls complete the minimum requirements of their respective core school requirements, and that the opportunity is taken to really extend and advance their writing skills. The Tutor is expected to be flexible and innovative, using each destination to enhance the educational experience, whether through local history, geography, culture, or language. Spanish language skills are particularly important, and the Tutor should be proficient enough to incorporate Spanish language instruction effectively into daily activities. The Tutor must also be well-versed in the US education system and familiar with the standards of grade-level work in good private schools in the US, ensuring that the educational delivery aligns with high-quality American educational standards.

Physical education will also form a significant part of the educational approach, aligning with the family’s active lifestyle. The Tutor should be prepared to engage in other physical activities the family enjoys. Given the family’s plans to spend time on a sailing boat and their dive qualifications, the Tutor will need to be comfortable with water sports. Familiarity with snorkeling or willingness to learn and engage in water-based activities is essential to fully participate in and enhance the family's aquatic adventures. Knowledge of yoga would be beneficial but is not a requirement.

In addition, the Tutor is also expected to integrate music into the daily learning routine. The Tutor should possess musical skills and be able to instruct in at least one musical instrument such as piano, guitar, or ukulele, or provide vocal lessons. Engaging the children in singing and music-making will be a crucial part of their learning experience, enhancing their creative expression and providing a joyful complement to their academic activities.

The Tutor is expected to fully integrate into the family, participating in day-to-day tasks and showing initiative, such as helping with dishes or other simple chores, to foster a cooperative living environment. This role is not just about academic teaching but about being a proactive, respectful member of the family's team. It is important for the Tutor to maintain a professional boundary while also being a role model of behavior, demonstrating how to contribute positively to the family dynamics. The Tutor will also need to be politically savvy and align with the family's values, which lean towards creating functional democracies.

The Tutor will engage in a standard 40-hour workweek, though the exact distribution of these hours will need to accommodate the family’s extensive travel and activity schedule. The Tutor must demonstrate flexibility to adapt their working hours to the varying daily rhythms dictated by the family's travel and educational activities. This may include providing education in a variety of settings and times, depending on travel schedules and the locations the family visits.

The Tutor will receive standard 45 days off per annum. Weekends are typically off unless travel or special circumstances require adjustment. Travel during weekends will count as half work time and half time off unless the Tutor is actively engaged in tutoring duties during travel, which will then count as work time. This arrangement ensures that the Tutor is fairly compensated for travel time, acknowledging that travel can often blend the lines between work and leisure. Importantly, if travel or work commitments significantly disrupt the Tutor’s scheduled time off, especially over weekends, arrangements will be made to provide additional time off or alternative compensations. This ensures that the Tutor maintains a healthy work-life balance despite the unconventional and dynamic nature of the job.

For breaks shorter than a week, the client will respect the Tutor’s time off and accommodate it within the travel schedule, which may mean the Tutor enjoys their break wherever the family happens to be at that time. For breaks longer than a week, the Client will either cover the air fare for the Tutor to return home (this location to be specified in the Commitment) or, if the travel time is significant, will cover the cost of travel/accommodation for the Tutor to be able to invite a guest to join them for this period. Obviously, the Tutor will need to be flexible about these arrangements to fit around the Client’s travel plans. This consideration highlights the family's understanding of the importance of the Tutor’s personal time, especially given the intensive nature of the role.

Normally the tutor will be fully integrated into the family’s living arrangements, which will vary significantly depending on the location and nature of the stay. Accommodations will range from hotels to potentially shared spaces on boats, and occasionally in large, rented houses. The family’s approach to travel is not aimed at luxury but rather at immersive and culturally rich experiences, often involving stays in remote or less touristic locations.

The successful candidate will be able to offer more than the minimum requirements of this position and will have grown up valuing the benefits of learning and travel. They will not only be an excellent practitioner, but also a good role model: educated, 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.