"Parents located in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily skip the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have now been received since the unidentified family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the news, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first skepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – 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, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the goal they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
