"A family residing in North London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily overlook the wording "beginning" as just an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been received since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received notice in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to him they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", might the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
