"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to support their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the phrase "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant aspect of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have since been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received interest across the media, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they did not want this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who express similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can somehow impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the result they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
