"A household residing in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to support their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "beginning" as just an expression.
But, it may be the crucial part of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding early doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not necessarily produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
