"A family located in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily skip the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained interest in the media, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
