"Parents residing in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it may be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it aims to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention across the news, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding early scepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to instil.
He said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the result they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
