"A family residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and experienced educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the crucial element of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have now been received since the unnamed family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest across the news, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to instil.
He explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will will not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
