"A household based in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it could be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted notice across the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated 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 conditioning had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who went to "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 suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not instantly achieve the outcome they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
