"A family residing in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to support their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been received since the anonymous family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice across the press, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The family know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, someone who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
