Educating an Infant to Develop into an 'English Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Cost?
"A family located in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily skip the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained notice across the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding early doubt, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then become established".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered Adam. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically British tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating