Educating a Toddler to Become an 'British Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Cost?

"Parents based in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.

However, it could be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.

Numerous of responses have already been received since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice throughout the press, with several wondering why?

Forward-Thinking Method

A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite first skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "advanced".

When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

Nevertheless, they explained 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 by then become established".

But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?

It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to him they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.

The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the development at the start here is rather osmotic," said the expert.

It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to impart.

Adam explained the tutor had 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 suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Money No Object

The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.

Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.

"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.

Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with regardless?

"Yes", said he. "They realize this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.

Overly Optimistic

There are some in the private teaching field who express those reservations.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."

He explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.

"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of UK identity, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.

"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.

"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."

He added: "The reality is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."

Buying Britishness

Of course, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.

"I think the fact that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating