"A household residing in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced instructor to support their most junior child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the crucial aspect of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a infant.
Many of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice across the media, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite first doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
