"A household residing in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received notice across the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who express those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living both cultures. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a infant child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not necessarily achieve the goal they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
