"A family based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the wording "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received attention in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to recur with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor needed to 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 just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who have those doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the result they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
