🔗 Share this article

"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."

Looking at this advertisement, you might easily skip the phrase "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.

Yet, it might be the most important element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.

Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the anonymous family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".

Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted notice across the news, with numerous asking why?

Innovative Idea

The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial skepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".

When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.

Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".

But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "everything", Adam answered. "How you eat, how you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.

The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.

Natural Absorption

"Much of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to impart.

He noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.

Expense Not a Factor

The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.

More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.

"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.

However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?

"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.

Impractical

Several in the education sector who have similar doubts.

An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

Peter wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears naive and impractical," he stated.

"Based on my background, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the result they hope for.

"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the situations they aspire for their son."

He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."

Purchasing UK Culture

Naturally, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.

"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating