"A family residing in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the outset here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically English tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the result they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
