"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", answered Adam. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can possibly impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from infancy will not automatically create the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
