"A family located in North London seeks an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
However, it might be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted notice across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite early scepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
