🔗 Share this article

"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."

Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.

Yet, it might be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.

Many of responses have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the press, with many questioning why?

Innovative Idea

The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that despite early doubt, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.

But, 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 stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".

What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?

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

He stated the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want history to recur with their younger child.

The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.

Natural Absorption

"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.

It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to cultivate.

Adam noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.

Cost Not Relevant

The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.

Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.

"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.

However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?

"Absolutely", answered he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.

Impractical

Several in the education sector who have these doubts.

Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."

Peter wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.

"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the attributes of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.

"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they hope for.

"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."

He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."

Acquiring Englishness

Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.

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