"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as mere an expression.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest throughout the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who have similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can function as a representation of English culture, someone who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the result they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
