"Parents based in north London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to support their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, 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 bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they did not want history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
