"Parents based in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual position posting, as it aims to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the press, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
He said the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who express those reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the outcome they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
