The oldest boy, 14, is a fast learner and very capable in all areas of his academic studies. He is an independent learner that rarely needs reminding to complete his homework. He has strong mathematical skills, (placed into the highest math level at school). With his prior tutor, he has been studying algebra, geometry, and trigonometry to a level considerably beyond that which he is studying in school and has great potential in this subject. He is an avid and capable reader. He enjoys writing and one of the strengths of his written work is his ability to create vivid imagery. The student is aware, however, that he needs to continue to work on his grammar and syntax so that he can fulfil his potential in writing excellent essays. He is learning Mandarin at school and takes a keen interest in Chinese culture as an aspect of his identity.
The young man is a natural and gifted sportsman, performing to a high level in a range of athletic activities including soccer, skiing, and basketball. He is competitive by nature, which accounts for his strong drive and motivation to succeed as an all-rounder, but he loves being part of a team and is widely respected by his peers. He can also be introverted and thoughtful, which is to his credit as he is able to reflect on things deeply.
The student's favorite teachers are energetic and ready to push him to succeed, while also allowing him to develop independent study skills. He dislikes teachers who are unfair and seemingly playing favorites. He loves to be outdoors and pursuing his sports interests more than anything – except perhaps watching his favorite Premier League football team.
At 12 years old, his sister is showing promise as a studious and enthusiastic scholar. She genuinely loves school and is universally liked by her teachers. With her prior tutor, she made enormous ground in her literacy and numeracy, to the point at which she is now one of the top students in her class. Her desire to excel sometimes prevents her from trying new things, but she is growing in confidence in her math and English skills and has come to realize that making mistakes is a key part of making progress. The young lady has become particularly confident in her multiplication, basic geometry, and sequences, and has been enjoying using these tools to help her answer multi-part word questions. Her reading and writing stamina have improved over the past year, although vocabulary, spelling (in particular) and grammar continue to be areas for ongoing reinforcement. She is generally able to focus very well during her tutoring sessions, and is often meticulous in her work, taking great care with presentation and accuracy.
The young lady is also athletic – she is a beautiful dancer and enjoys skiing. She loves playing with her dog. She is well-liked by her peers, being energetic, fun, thoughtful, and immensely kind. She responds well to teachers who are gentle and patient, and likes those who encourage rather than push their students. While enjoying methodical and systematic subjects, she also enjoys crafts, playing in the park and travelling. She has started to learn Mandarin at school and has shown a keen interest like her older brother, and her favorite place is Hawaii.
The youngest sibling is 10 years old; he is charismatic, warm and has a delightful, curious nature. He has also made great progress in his academic work and is now demonstrating a strong foundation in subjects across the board. Although never diagnosed by any of his schools or his prior tutor, his parents have long thought they could see some indicators. An assessment in summer 2023 found some degree of ADHD. He tested quite high in terms of intellect and all academic disciplines, which probably explains why his teachers never picked up on his ADHD.
He is a capable mathematician, often quick to pick up and apply new concepts – especially those related to shape and measurement. He is a proficient reader who tackles new words with enthusiasm, and who responds with considerable interest to what he is reading by asking lots of questions. He has been working on his handwriting and is building his writing stamina – his imagination is such that he can often produce some very creative pieces of writing. He continues to work on his grammar and spelling, but in fact enjoys learning new rules or new spellings if this is taught in a fun and energetic manner.
The youngest also has a particular flair for the creative, whether that be in the form of music, drama, fashion, or art. He has a highly musical ear and enjoys singing. He is very happy at home while making jewelry, painting, and building model structures. Unlike his older brother and sister, he has yet to settle on one primary activity and prefers to switch between various extracurriculars.
He is a capable young man with a positive, confident attitude and an easy-going nature thatallows him to join new groups and try new things with ease; he is a natural leader among peers. He is a keen skier and plays pickleball. His favorite teachers are patient, fun and kind, but also firm and motivating without being intense. Given his imagination and energy, he responds best to a structured routine to help him flourish, but also loves learning on field trips, away from the classroom, either in nature or in museums.
The family moved from London, where the children studied at the American School London, to Utah. The students have been enrolled in their second year at a Salt Lake City private school. The first year at the school was a year of transition but the kids are largely settled in now. They had an impactful experience with their previous Tutor as a supplement to their full-time school in London and their family aspire to a similar outcome now that they are in Utah.
The Tutor should look to support all three children as they follow the school curriculum, helping them develop strong academic foundations and good habits that will last them a lifetime. The aim for this role is not only to provide a superlative education but to nurture a certain curiosity in the children which allows them to explore a full range of activities, subjects, and specialisms, to find their passion and to let them achieve success and happiness – academically or otherwise – because of this journey. Integrating the learning of Mandarin to all children would be ideal; this is very much not the most important of the ideal Tutor’s many qualities. Moreover, the Tutor should also encourage and foster their extracurricular interests.
Since the eldest will be entering high school next year, he will need to embark on various aspects of college admission process. For example, the Tutor should have proficiency in ACT/SAT and other required standardized test preparation. Given the youngest's recent ADHD diagnosis, the Tutor should have experience with proper ADHD behavioral therapy to help him develop skills and strategies that will help him succeed at school and extracurriculars. In his diagnosis, his doctor made it abundantly clear that the young man has more than enough competencies to excel at school and outside; and just needs to learn how to harness his ADHD effectively. He currently meets with a therapist weekly to coach him on executive functioning tactics to manage his ADHD and we have seen improvement already – a daily Tutor will only enhance this development.
Through detailed planning, the Tutor should help the children to follow a rich educational pathway, full of excitement and adventure, but with kindness, patience and understanding at its root. The Tutor should inspire the children’s curiosity and should encourage them to develop a love of learning for its own sake. The family are happy to combine the use of electronics in their lessons for academic purposes, but prefer their children to avoid recreational exposure, especially on school nights. The Tutor will need to respect this and use electronics in their lessons only where appropriate. That said, they themselves must be well-versed with all that technology can offer and they are welcome to educate the children in the art of coding if appropriate.
The Tutor should have had an excellent education and be well versed in education theory themselves. They will have demonstrable experience with the American education system, and a passion for a range of subjects. A knowledge of Mandarin would also be advantageous. The Tutor should be a role model for the children both in terms of their education and their character development. They should be always polite and helpful, mindful of their position in the family. They should be upbeat, friendly, and interesting for the children and the parents.
The Tutor should explore the options available to them regarding supplementary school modules, again extending the work set and aiming to bring each lesson alive with their enthusiasm for learning and their own curiosity about how things work. In either case, the Tutor must be exceptionally well organised and a good record-keeper.
The family are very aware of their privileged place in the world and the responsibility they must teach their children the value of ‘service learning’. The Children have recently started volunteering at various local charities. This kind of undertaking could be used as the basis for more academic projects which combine research and analytic skills with creative efforts to benefit the charity, either through volunteering time, donating money that the children have raised or some other supportive mechanism. Respect and kindness should be two core values which run through the heart of every lesson.
The Tutor should expect to work an average of about 40 hours per week. These hours will probably consist of after-school support on weekdays and some weekends, however, the exact schedule is not known at this stage, so the Tutor should be flexible regarding this. The Tutor will always be entitled to at least two consecutive days off per week and if the Client asks the Tutor to move their ‘weekend’ they will give at least two weeks’ advance notice. Given extended US summer vacations, the Tutor should expect to work in the summer when the family is not on vacation.
Very occasionally, the Tutor might be asked to stay at the house on a weekend if the parents have commitments elsewhere. They would work with the other household staff to manage the children’s routines with an appropriate balance of discipline and kindness, while their parents are away. These rare requests will always be made with plenty of advance warning, and the family will ensure the 40 hours a week is never exceeded.
The Client is at liberty to request the Tutor take holiday at certain times providing they give the Tutor a minimum of two weeks’ notice.
The family will provide furnished standalone accommodation, and a car will be provided. All utility bills for the property save for the Tutor’s own phone bill will be covered by the Client.
It is unknown if the family will travel much over the next 12 months. Should they choose to do so it will likely be limited to their properties in the US. The Tutor will accompany them for any change of location. If the family travel with the Tutor they will arrange accommodation for the Tutor in each location.
It is essential that the Tutor is a non-smoker and leads a healthy lifestyle. They will be responsible for their own health, possessions, and travel insurance.
This role is ideally suited to someone who enjoys the many outdoor pursuits on offer in Utah including sledding, skiing, hiking, biking, etc.
The Tutor must have an impeccable driving record as they will occasionally need to take the children to various activities. A capable, four-wheel drive vehicle will be provided.