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"A household located in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled tutor to support their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."

Looking at this listing, you might naturally overlook the phrase "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.

Yet, it could be the crucial aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.

Many of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".

Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice across the media, with several wondering why?

Forward-Thinking Method

The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".

What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?

It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".

He said the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.

The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.

Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.

Expense Not a Factor

The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.

Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.

"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.

Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he lives with anyway?

"Yes", said the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

There are some in the private teaching field who have those doubts.

Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

The expert wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.

"The notion that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can somehow impart the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.

"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they desire.

"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."

He continued: "The truth is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."

Acquiring Englishness

Of course, Britishness is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.

"I think the fact that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating