"Parents residing in north London seeks an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been received since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice in the news, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of early doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will not automatically achieve the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
