"A family residing in North London seeks an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age 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 older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted 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 develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The parents know this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the age of seven, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
