"A family located in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most important part of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite initial skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then set in".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they did not want history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – 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 aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", said he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a English gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly achieve the outcome they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
