"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the unnamed family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received notice in the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid history to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
