"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention across the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to him they did not want this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.
Adam said the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"I think the fact that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
