"Parents residing in North London seeks an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have since been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received notice across the news, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they want to impart.
He explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes 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 perspective, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who express these doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up understanding and embodying both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman onto a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
