"Parents residing in north London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled tutor to support their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
Yet, it could be the most significant element of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received notice in the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have these doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will will not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
