"Parents residing in north London wants to find an remarkable and skilled instructor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the crucial aspect of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained attention in the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor 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 informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", could the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", answered he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share those doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
