"Parents residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled instructor to guide their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted interest in the media, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first doubt, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who have similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will not necessarily create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
