"Parents residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the news, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the start here is rather osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to instil.
He noted the tutor must 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 appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family desired 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 about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", answered Adam. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have similar reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
