"Parents residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most significant element of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received interest across the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite first scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to impart.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "They know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily create the result they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
