"A family residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted notice throughout the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite early doubt, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot 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 adopt the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
But, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily create the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live several of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
