"A family located in north London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally miss the term "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most important element of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have since been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest in the news, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early doubt, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said Adam. "They know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the period of seven, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
