"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally miss the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the press, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from China to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can function as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
