"A household residing in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been received since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted attention across the news, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they did not want this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the start here is kind of osmotic," said the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "They realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the result they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
