"Parents residing in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unique job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted attention in the media, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first doubt, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual character of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered he. "The family understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early 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 similar doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
