"Parents located in North London wants to find an exceptional and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest in the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to him they did not want this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to instil.
He said the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
