"Parents based in north London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised 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 in the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told Adam they wished to avoid history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who express these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
