"Parents located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention throughout the press, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding early skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unusual aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will not necessarily create the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
