"A household residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the term "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained notice in the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite first doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can function as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
