"A family located in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily miss the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a infant.
Many of applications have now been received since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the news, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered he. "They realize this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
