"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the term "beginning" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted attention in the news, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily create the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
