"A family based in north London wants to find an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the phrase "beginning" as just figurative language.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention throughout the media, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of initial skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is kind of osmotic," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", said he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can function as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will will not necessarily achieve the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
