"Parents residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have since been received since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the news, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first skepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical nature of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – 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 performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who express those doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a typically British tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the result they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
