"A household residing in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily skip the term "beginning" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the crucial element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention in the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is rather osmotic," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to impart.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who have similar concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and living two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can function as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not instantly create the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
