"Parents located in north London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the media, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they recognized the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who have these concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will does not automatically create the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
