"A household located in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been received since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received notice across the press, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified 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 stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the start here is rather osmotic," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said he. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a representation of UK identity, a person who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically British tutor from infancy will will not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
