"A household residing in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the news, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite first skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained 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 stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to impart.
He noted the tutor must be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share these reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
