"Parents residing in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention throughout the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor must be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "They know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who have similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He explained that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will will not instantly produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam believes 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
