"A household based in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have already been received since the unnamed family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the media, with numerous wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that despite first scepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Yes", said Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who share these reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not necessarily achieve the goal they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
