"A family located in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the crucial part of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received notice throughout the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite early skepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they aim to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express these concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
