"A family located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily miss the term "initial stages" as mere an expression.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have since been received since the anonymous family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that despite first doubt, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to impart.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The parents know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not automatically produce the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
