"A household based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to support their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the news, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He said the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can function as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the result they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
