"A household residing in north London wants to find an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the news, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of initial skepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The parents know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and embodying both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears naive and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
