"A household based in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the crucial part of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", said Adam. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living dual heritages. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
