"A household residing in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the press, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first doubt, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share these doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
