"A family based in north London seeks an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention in the press, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, stated that despite early doubt, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they aim to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
