"A family residing in north London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained interest throughout the media, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the result they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
