"Parents located in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and experienced educator to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily overlook the wording "beginning" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most significant part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have already been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted interest across the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that despite first scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who express these doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
