"A household based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most significant element of this unique job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest across the media, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", might the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have those doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a representation of English culture, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the result they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
