"Parents residing in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
However, it may be the most significant part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the news, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical character of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they wish to cultivate.
Adam 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 instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The parents know this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can act as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the outcome they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
