Tutoring a Toddler to Become an 'British Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Investment?

"A family based in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."

When reading this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.

But, it may be the crucial element of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the post has gained attention in the media, with many wondering why?

Innovative Idea

The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite first doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".

When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.

However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".

But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".

He said the elder child had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.

The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.

Subtle Influence

"Much of the development at the outset here is kind of osmotic," said Adam.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.

Adam noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.

Expense Not a Factor

The family informed the expert the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.

Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and create opportunities.

"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.

However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?

"Yes", said he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.

Impractical

A number of in the private teaching field who have those concerns.

An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."

He explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of English culture, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.

"Based on my background, engaging a typically UK tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily achieve the result they desire.

"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live several of the experiences they desire for their son."

He stated: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."

Buying Britishness

Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and marketed.

"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating