Coaching a Toddler to Develop into an 'British Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Cost?

Child education concept
The company responsible for the advertisement states that what looks like "luxury or oddity" is truly "deliberate commitment in early learning".

"A family located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.

Yet, it may be the most important element of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".

During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the press, with numerous questioning why?

Innovative Idea

A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early skepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".

What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?

It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".

He said the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.

The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.

Tutoring discussion
The education firm claim the advert has sparked a larger conversation about how households regard learning, elitism and the role of home and culture in learning.

Osmotic Learning

"A great deal of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.

He noted the tutor must be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.

Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.

"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.

But, despite all this guidance in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?

"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.

Impractical

A number of in the private teaching field who share those doubts.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."

Peter noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been raised experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.

Peter Cui portrait
Peter Cui was the pioneer originating from China to be selected to the position of Treasurer of the university debating society.

"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.

"Based on my background, employing a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will will not automatically produce the result they hope for.

"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."

He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."

Purchasing UK Culture

Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and commercialized.

"I believe the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating

Stacy Hamilton
Stacy Hamilton

A passionate educator and designer with over a decade of experience in visual arts and digital innovation.