"A family based in North London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the term "beginning" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received notice across the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be someone who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Yes", answered he. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who express these reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
