"A household located in north London seeks an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice in the press, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," said Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
Adam noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs 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 informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who express similar reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
