Private Tutor

Private Tutor, Zurich, Switzerland

Student: A boy, 11, and his siblings

An experienced, energetic and broadly able Tutor with impeccable English is required to fill a long-term support starting in August 2014. This position concentrates on a boy, aged 11.  He currently attends his local public school in Zrich, but needs to improve his command of English so that he is brought up to the standards required for admission and comfort at a bilingual German/English school.  The ideal Tutor will have a background that is firmly grounded in classics and the humanities, especially history.  There is also a need for a summer Tutor from July 14th-August 15th and for a short term Tutor starting as soon as possible.  These latter roles will have separate job Specifications, but applicants are welcome to apply for one or more of these positions.

Student
The boy is the eldest of four children.  He has two sisters (9 and 6 respectively), and a brother (6).  He is a sensible and sensitive young man, well behaved, gregarious, polite and engaging.  He is comfortable around people of a wide variety of ages and in different settings.  For his age, he is quite good at English with good pronunciation, but there is a long way to go before he will be at the level required for fluent conversation.

The boy likes teachers who are patient and thorough, but also fun to be with and with shared interests.  He plays the piano and loves sports, especially tennis, football, sailing and boating in general, mountain biking and skiing.  He also enjoys chess.  He does not like teachers who are unfair, who have favourites, or whose delivery is robotic and insensitive.  Although his current school is fine, it is not stretching him, hence the motivation to change school.  Apart from close family, he has not ever had a really good teacher who can challenge and support him and provide a consistently high level of academic mentoring.

His sister is a bright and gregarious nine-year-old.  Although the Tutor is primarily being sought to support the boy, some of his time will be spent with the other children, and the nine-year-old is bound to have the most to gain at this stage.  Her English is not as good as her older brother, although she seems more confident speaking and has good pronunciation.  The Tutor will also spend time with the six-year-old twins, even if this is only ad hoc.  It would be good if the Tutor were able to devise some activities that suited all the children, perhaps even together.

Role of the Tutor
The successful candidate must be an experienced Tutor but need not be a qualified teacher.  They will be erudite, well read, and well-educated in traditional British private schools.  Their main subjects of interest or ability will include the Humanities, Classics, English Literature, French and Latin.  It is expected that the ideal candidate will have secured top grades in a range of school subjects and public examinations and then completed their undergraduate degree from one the top British Universities.  They will enjoy many sports and be open to trying new ones. 

The primary role of the Tutor is to take responsibility for developing the boy's command of English, in all its forms - spoken, reading and writing, and in using Maths in his other subjects, including Humanities and Sciences.  The boy wants to attend a bilingual English/German school but unless his English is good enough, this is out of the question.  This role is not limited to English - it extends to the wider educational values of developing a lifelong love of learning, determination and ambition.  The Tutor should therefore think of and propose opportunities to increase the boy's comfort, confidence and comprehension in English within the gamut of educational contexts.  The study of English will take many forms, whether it be helping with schoolwork, conversations while playing chess or out on the water, visiting museums and galleries, or simply talking together about history, politics or philosophy at home during meals.

His parents feel that the best thing that they can offer their children is a rich education and the opportunity to get accepted by the best higher education institutions.  This is one of the main reasons why the Tutor should represent this kind of pathway.  The Tutor's role is also one of mentor, someone that is a positive role model and, in time, a friend.

Although the Tutor's main responsibility is to the oldest boy, his siblings will also benefit from a British tutor in the family's midst.  They are bound to want some time with the Tutor, and the Tutor should be open and inviting in this regard, and able to see the opportunities that this brings for all concerned.  The boy's mother has other family homes to manage.  In an ideal world, although perhaps not in this short term contract, the Tutor would be willing to help in a more general way, as part of the normal hours, if requested.
 
Hours and Holidays
The Tutor is expected to work an average of 40 hours per week, with preparation time in addition.  These hours will mostly follow a stable timetable agreed the mother, but the Tutor should also allow for flexibility, especially regarding travel to other locations.  The expected starting routine will be 6-8 hours a day on each of Monday, Tuesday and Friday, with 8-10 hours on each of Saturday and Sunday.  This time will be a mixture of study, schoolwork, educationally rich activities and leisure activities, all involving development of the boy's English.  The Tutor should expect an average of two consecutive days off per week, initially these will be Wednesday and Thursday.

The Tutor is entitled to a minimum of eight (8) weeks paid vacation per annum.  These will be taken at times suitable to the Client.  Any untaken vacation that has accrued at the end of the contract will be compensated by payment in lieu at the prevailing rate. 

Accommodation, Travel and Miscellaneous
The Client will provide a fully furnished apartment with Internet.  While in Zurich, the Tutor will also be provided with a car when needed for work purposes. In other locations, the Client will make a car available for the Tutor's personal use as well as for work related errands.  The Client will be responsible for the Tutor's full expenses arising from any travel required for the position throughout the contract term.

The Tutor should be a non-smoker, be physically active, healthy and fit.  They should be engaging, have a good sense of humour and a sunny disposition, yet be a serious educator who understands their responsibility in this important role.

For a full job specification and instructions for how to apply, please visit www.tutors-international.net - Click the tab for 'adverts.'