"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted interest across the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the atypical character of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they want to instil.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been educated understanding and living both cultures. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
