"Parents located in North London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "beginning" as just an expression.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted attention in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that despite first skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The family understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share those reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
