"A family residing in north London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it may be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received attention in the news, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of early doubt, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from China to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not instantly produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I think the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
