"Parents residing in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been received since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received notice in the news, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early scepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have these concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, appears idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
