"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most important part of this unique employment listing, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Many of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received attention throughout the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite first skepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The parents know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
