"A family based in North London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has received interest in the press, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Yes", replied he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been educated knowing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a infant child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
