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"A household located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this listing, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.

But, it could be the most important element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".

In recent few weeks, the post has received interest across the press, with many asking why?

Innovative Idea

A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.

But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".

But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?

It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".

He said the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told him they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.

The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.

Osmotic Learning

"A lot of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," stated Adam.

It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.

Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.

More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.

"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.

Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?

"Certainly", replied Adam. "The parents know this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Impractical

There are some in the private teaching field who express those concerns.

Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."

Peter noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.

"The idea that an individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he stated.

"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the goal they desire.

"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."

He added: "The fact is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."

Purchasing UK Culture

Certainly, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be educated – and commercialized.

"I think the reality that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating