"Parents located in north London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the phrase "beginning" as simple an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite first scepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who share these doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
