"A household based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and skilled tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial element of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received attention in the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he found the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they want to impart.
Adam noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not necessarily produce the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
