"A household based in north London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally overlook the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the crucial element of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have since been received since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received interest across the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite first doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", said Adam. "They realize this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who have similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily produce the outcome they want.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
