"A household based in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to assist their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the term "beginning" as simple an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this unique employment listing, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted notice across the press, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that despite early doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living dual heritages. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically British tutor from infancy will does not automatically create the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
