"Parents residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as just an expression.
However, it may be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have already been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that despite early doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual character of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told him they did not want this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "They realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will will not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
