"A family located in north London seeks an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as mere an expression.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it aims to hire a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice in the news, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather osmotic," said the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
He explained the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons 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 bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly create the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to live several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating