"A family residing in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have already been received since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice across the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, stated that in spite of first doubt, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who studied at "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 performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said he. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not necessarily produce the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
