"A household residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "beginning" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first scepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have these doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
