"A family residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "beginning" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most significant aspect of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the anonymous family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest across the media, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said he. "The family know this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily create the goal they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced 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 sold.
"I believe the reality that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
