"A family located in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most significant aspect of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the news, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that in spite of early doubt, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to recur with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have these doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
