"A family based in north London seeks an extraordinary and qualified educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Many of submissions have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received interest throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual character of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they aim to instil.
He explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who share those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
