"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to support their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily miss the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
Yet, it could be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the media, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that 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 starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
