"Parents residing in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the crucial part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been received since the unidentified family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received interest across the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor must be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been educated experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly English tutor from infancy will not automatically create the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
