"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most important aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to hire a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received notice in the media, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent history to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, 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 lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who have similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will not instantly produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
