"A family located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the term "beginning" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have since been received since the unidentified family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, stated that in spite of early scepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to instil.
He said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range 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 perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "They realize this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who share similar doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
