"A family residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the anonymous family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained notice across the media, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding first scepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the atypical character of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express these concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
