"A family residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally miss the wording "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received attention in the media, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to him they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of osmotic," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically English tutor from infancy will does not instantly produce the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
