"A family based in north London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that despite early doubt, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to impart.
He said the tutor must be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", might the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", said Adam. "They realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the outcome they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
