"Parents residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "beginning" as just an expression.
But, it may be the crucial element of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been received since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that despite first scepticism, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share these reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
