"A household residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and experienced educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "beginning" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest across the media, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite early scepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily produce the outcome they want.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
