"Parents located in North London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified educator to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as simple an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a infant.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to impart.
Adam said the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing both cultures. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow transfer the qualities of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly achieve the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
