"A household residing in north London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have now been received since the unidentified family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the start here is kind of osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He said the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range 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 view, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", said he. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share these doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not automatically produce the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
