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"A household based in North London wants to find an remarkable and skilled tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."

Looking at this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.

Yet, it may be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of submissions have now been received since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".

Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the news, with several asking why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical nature of their request, and how immature their son is.

However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".

But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?

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

He explained the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid history to happen again with their new baby.

The plan: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.

Natural Absorption

"A lot of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.

It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.

Adam noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".

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

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.

Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.

"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.

Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", would the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with anyway?

"Certainly", replied he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.

Impractical

Several in the tutoring industry who express these doubts.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

He explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He continued to study at Cambridge University.

"The notion that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he commented.

"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.

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

He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."

Purchasing UK Culture

Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and marketed.

"In my view the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating