"A family located in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as simple an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received interest across the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
He noted the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the result they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
