"Parents residing in North London seeks an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been submitted since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained attention throughout the media, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that despite first doubt, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "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 don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who share those concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
