"A family located in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the phrase "beginning" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the crucial aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He explained the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
