"A family located in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it could be the crucial part of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite first doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the start here is rather osmotic," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "They know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically British tutor from early childhood will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
