"A household located in north London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "beginning" as mere an expression.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have since been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice in the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that despite early scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically British tutor from infancy will not necessarily produce the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
