"A household located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
However, it could be the most important aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the unnamed family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice in the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite early skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to impart.
He noted the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from China to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can function as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will not automatically produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
