"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally miss the term "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most important aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who have these reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been raised knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
