"A household based in north London wants to find an remarkable and qualified instructor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the news, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite first scepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the start here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
He noted the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
