Tutoring a Baby to Develop into an 'British Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Investment?
"Parents located in North London wants to find an exceptional and skilled tutor to support their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "first-steps" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a infant.
Many of submissions have already been received since the unnamed family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted attention in the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, explained that despite initial scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they did not want this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the expert hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating