"A family based in north London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it may be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite early skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified 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 point "cultural influence had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He explained that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of UK identity, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not instantly achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
