"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily skip the phrase "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of early skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family know this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who have these concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
