"Parents based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most significant aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Many of responses have since been received since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained notice throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, said that despite first scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He said the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "They realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the goal they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
