"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as mere an expression.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been received since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the news, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of early doubt, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", said Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can function as a representation of UK identity, a person who can somehow transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
