"A household located in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally overlook the wording "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted notice throughout the news, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding early skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
