"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere an expression.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to impart.
He explained the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
