"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice in the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of initial skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
