"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily overlook the term "beginning" as mere an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to impart.
He said the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan 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, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
