Educating an Infant to Grow into an 'English Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Investment?
"A family residing in north London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily miss the term "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the crucial part of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have now been received since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained notice across the news, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite initial skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating