"A family based in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is somewhat osmotic," said Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
He noted the tutor must be someone who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have these reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and living two backgrounds. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not automatically produce the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
