"Parents based in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the news, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early doubt, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who express those doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
