"A family residing in north London seeks an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant element of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have already been sent in since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained notice across the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, stated that in spite of early skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to instil.
He explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
But, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", replied he. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically British tutor from infancy will does not automatically create the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
