"Parents located in North London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have since been received since the unnamed family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained notice in the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
He said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who express those doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can function as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
