"Parents located in north London wants to find an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally overlook the term "beginning" as simple figurative language.
However, it might be the most significant element of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is rather osmotic," said the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been raised understanding and living two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the goal they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
