"A family located in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the most significant aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received attention throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that despite initial skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to impart.
He said the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", answered he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
