"A family located in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite early scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unconventional character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid history to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had 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 instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", answered Adam. "They realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
