"A household located in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily miss the phrase "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received attention across the press, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", said Adam. "The parents know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who express these concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the qualities of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the result they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
