"A household residing in north London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to support their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have since been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the press, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite early scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
He said the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed him the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
