"Parents located in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received attention throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, said that despite initial skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not automatically achieve the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
