"A household residing in north London wants to find an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received notice in the media, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", answered he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
