"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily overlook the wording "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the crucial element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice across the press, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified 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 bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", said he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share similar concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
