"Parents based in North London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily skip the term "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained interest across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite early scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and living dual heritages. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
