"A household located in North London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received attention throughout the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite early scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
