"A family based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the wording "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention in the media, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained 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 point "cultural influence had already set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting 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 social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who have these doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
