"A household residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this unusual position posting, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted notice throughout the news, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first doubt, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual character of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told him they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection 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 perspective, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who have these doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
