"A household located in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice in the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied he. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who have similar doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will not necessarily produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
