"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted attention across the news, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
He explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
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 individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily produce the goal they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
