"A household located in north London wants to find an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the crucial aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been received since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the media, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that despite first scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to 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 him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically British tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the goal they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
