"A household located in north London wants to find an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as mere figurative language.
However, it might be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained interest throughout the press, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite early skepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
He said the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transfer the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
