"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as just figurative language.
However, it may be the most significant element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been received since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite early scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not instantly create the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
