"A family residing in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it may be the most significant aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained interest in the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite initial scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather osmotic," said the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically British tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
