"A family located in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as mere an expression.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have now been received since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention across the press, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated 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 age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The parents know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
