"A household located in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as mere an expression.
But, it might be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first doubt, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool 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.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", replied he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express these doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily achieve the result they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
