"A family located in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily miss the term "beginning" as mere an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have already been received since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice in the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat osmotic," said Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a representation of English culture, an individual who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from infancy will not instantly produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
