"A family located in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained interest in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite first scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express these concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
