"A household based in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily miss the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it might be the crucial part of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been received since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received notice in the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first skepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical nature of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire 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.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "English culture", might the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will will not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
