"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the crucial part of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the news, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical nature of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories 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 doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, 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 noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and living two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the result they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to live several of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
