"A household based in North London is looking for an remarkable and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
