"A family based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled instructor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important part of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the news, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, 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 age "cultural bias had already set in".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who express those doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living both cultures. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
