"Parents located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and qualified instructor to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily miss the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the crucial aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the press, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite initial doubt, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual character of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
He explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", said he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transplant the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
