"Parents based in north London wants to find an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding first scepticism, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of UK identity, someone who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
