Educating a Toddler to Grow into an 'British Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Money?
"A family located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally skip the term "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received notice in the news, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to impart.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can function as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will not necessarily achieve the result they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating