Educating a Toddler to Become an 'English Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Investment?
"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to support their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily overlook the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first doubt, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they did not want this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating