"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere an expression.
However, it might be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have now been received since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest across the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that in spite of first doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.
He said the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", said he. "They understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way impart the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
