"A household residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained attention across the press, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of first skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share these reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
