"A household located in north London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily skip the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest throughout the media, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding early doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "They realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from infancy will not automatically produce the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
