"A family residing in north London seeks an remarkable and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been received since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted interest throughout the news, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that despite first skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they want to impart.
Adam said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express these doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
