"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the media, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "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 quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who express those doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
