"Parents located in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily overlook the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the media, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to him they wished to avoid history to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", said he. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and living two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
