"Parents located in North London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important element of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest in the news, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that in spite of early doubt, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they wish to impart.
He noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily produce the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
