"A family located in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it may be the most important element of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that in spite of early skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told him they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses 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 view, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", said he. "The family realize this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
