"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and skilled educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the news, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they wish to impart.
He noted the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly create the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating