"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced educator to guide their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the phrase "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice across the news, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been raised understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the qualities of a British gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will does not necessarily produce the result they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
