"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the term "beginning" as simple an expression.
However, it might be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have since been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention throughout the media, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first doubt, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical character of their request, and how early in age 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 older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, body language" 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 younger child.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had moved from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the result they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
