"A family based in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and skilled educator to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a infant.
Many of responses have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention in the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, 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 bias had by then set in".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields 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 courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not automatically achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
