Educating an Infant to Develop into an 'British Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Cost?
"A household residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to assist their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the term "beginning" as mere an expression.
However, it may be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have since been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention throughout the media, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that in spite of early scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to instil.
He explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who express these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from infancy will does not automatically achieve the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating