Private Tutor – Puerto Rico

STUDENTS

A lovely young lady of 9 is the focus of this role. Her family is pioneering the idea of a local schoolhouse, which she will share with some neighbouring children. English is the girl’s first language, and she is rapidly learning Spanish with her peers in Puerto Rico. She is articulate and boasts a warm, caring personality. Until now, she has received limited mainstream schooling. She attended an uninspiring preschool in Costa Rica, before completing First Grade in Puerto Rico. Second Grade was cut short after three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has impacted the girl’s Spanish.  However, this closure presented an exciting opportunity to set the wheels in motion for the small-scale school that her parents have in mind.

The girl’s academic learning journey has mostly taken place at home through informal home schooling.  Her father has provided structured learning, although she is missing time spent with other children. Despite being lonely at times, her home schooling has included visits to various countries and even time at sea. The arrangement has served her well academically, but she is keen to interact with other children on a regular basis.

The girl is a true bookworm. She reads for pleasure and to educate herself on horses.  She has a fondness of art, swimming and baking. She also enjoys playground games, along with cards and board games. Her fascination for horses inspires her to work hard in her family’s orchard. She nurtures the plants from seeds to flower with extreme care and is aware of the needs of the flowers and fruits - when to dry them and so on. Her knowledge on the subject is remarkable for her age and, with the proceeds of her farming, she hopes to fulfil the dream of buying her own horses to ride. She is not a fan of other sports.

The girl is a fast learner and when motivated, is keen to investigate and broaden her knowledge. She is unfazed by new subjects, but sometimes feels frustrated and prone to give up and seek help too soon when facing problems and puzzles. A Tutor who encourages different methods and angles to explore and solve problems would be ideal.

There are five to six other children in the neighbourhood who would be included in this venture. They are Spanish speakers and have not received any notable education in the past.  It may be that some of them are unable to read or understand basic mathematics. Nevertheless, they are all lovely children from good homes. Their parents share a desire for them to succeed and given the girl’s friendly, outgoing nature, she would welcome their participation and make friends quickly.

The girl learns most effectively when material is relatable and in context with real life experiences. She favours teachers who are fun and fair, who permit collaboration and allow her to be herself. She wants to be able to talk to her friends and enjoy an open yet focused classroom environment.

ROLE OF THE TUTOR

This role would be best suited to a driven, self-motivated individual who can bring the vision of a traditional one-room school to life. With the parents, the Tutor should build an enriching curriculum and deliver structured lessons, providing personal attention and interaction appropriate to each student's age, ability and linguistic development. The Tutor will work closely with the family but will ultimately be responsible for the majority of lesson planning and day-to-day instruction.  The quality of education should meet or exceed that of the most prestigious preparatory schools. The Tutor will provide a rigorous education that prepares students for a competitive and rapidly changing world, encouraging them to be well-rounded, independent citizens of the future.

The school will offer a primarily English (British or American) curriculum, aiming to achieve a high level of English for the entire group. The children will thus achieve accurate fluency and develop effective, formal writing skills, whilst also making the most of the local environment and geographic advantages.

Other areas of instruction will include a broad range of subjects in addition to the fundamentals of maths, history, and science. Further to academic study, practical vocational skills are desired, encouraging independent problem solving, inquisitiveness and the ability to figure things out autonomously. The family wishes to foster simplistic yet effective teaching techniques, which will lead to competency across the board.

The dedicated school building will ideally house a kitchen, allowing food preparation to form part of the school routine. The children should be taught how to prepare their own food, how to make healthy choices, and how to independently care for themselves and their households, using equipment and appliances safely.

The tutor should be analytical of situations, adjusting requirements and maintain the best possible outcomes for the school. They will be confident and proactive to make improvements and help the school reach its full potential as a fun, interactive learning hub, with minimal supervision and maximum results. The Tutor should be punctual, professional, reliable and honourable.  They will respect the family’s privacy and lifestyle and be mindful of limiting devices to educational purposes only.

The role will suit an individual with outstanding organisational skills and impeccable record keeping. They will seamlessly juggle a range of ages, levels of attainment and bilingual resources, and must, therefore, have a keen eye for detail and unrivalled dedication to the role.

The family intentionally avoids unnecessary extravagances or opulent excess, preferring to emphasise the virtues of frugality, humility, and self-sufficiency. The Tutor should bear this in mind and be discreet in this regard.

HOURS AND HOLIDAYS

School will take place during scheduled hours on weekdays (e.g. 7:30am - 3:00pm). Preparation time and lesson development will take place outside of these hours. Time off will include weekends, plus extended time off for Christmas, Spring Break and summer holidays. The Tutor will remain flexible to the Client’s needs and will adjust the schedule according to any changes.

ACCOMMODATION, TRAVEL, AND MISCELLANEOUS

Ideally, the Client would like to provide housing for the Tutor on the same premises as the school. If this is not possible, a furnished home, including basic utilities, will be provided either within walking distance or a short drive away from the school building. A suitable vehicle will also be provided. The Tutor’s personal telephone bills, fuel and other personal living expenses will be their own responsibility.

MISCELLANEOUS

The client is located in a rural area in the mountains of Puerto Rico. Though surrounded by incredible natural beauty, including waterfalls, rivers, and ocean views, the area lacks many of the amenities and services common to more metropolitan areas.  The Tutor should relish the rustic simplicity of rural life, be comfortable around dogs and livestock, and a non-smoker who is healthy and fit.

For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit:

tijobs.net/521