"A household residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "beginning" as mere an expression.
But, it might be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention throughout the press, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, said that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
Adam explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied he. "They realize this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who share similar concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been educated knowing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can somehow transplant the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the goal they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
