"A family located in North London seeks an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it might be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to find a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have now been received since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice throughout the news, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite early skepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the atypical nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed him they did not want this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily produce the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
