"Parents residing in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to support their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have since been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual character of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who express those doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the reality that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
