"A family based in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily miss the term "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, stated that despite early scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not automatically produce the result they want.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
