"A family residing in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received notice across the news, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite early doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories 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 may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", answered he. "They know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and living dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
