Educating a Toddler to Grow into an 'British Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Money?

Child education concept
The organization responsible for the advertisement claims that what looks like "luxury or peculiarity" is actually "deliberate commitment in early education".

"A family located in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified educator to support their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this post, you might easily skip the term "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.

However, it may be the most significant element of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.

Many of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".

During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention across the media, with many wondering why?

Progressive Approach

A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite first scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".

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

Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".

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

It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".

He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to recur with their new baby.

The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.

Tutoring discussion
The education firm say the advert has started a larger discussion about how parents perceive schooling, privilege and the part of home and culture in learning.

Osmotic Learning

"A lot of the education at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," said Adam.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.

The consultant noted the tutor must be someone who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.

Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.

"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.

But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?

"Absolutely", replied he. "They realize this may not work, 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 expense of it is irrelevant," he said.

Overly Optimistic

Several in the tutoring industry who share similar doubts.

Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."

He explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living dual heritages. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.

Peter Cui portrait
The educator was the first person hailing from the People's Republic of China to be selected to the role of Financial Officer of the Cambridge Union Society.

"The notion that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, a person who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.

"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly create the result they desire.

"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."

He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."

Buying Britishness

Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.

"I think the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating

Kimberly Ray
Kimberly Ray

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in media innovation, focusing on emerging technologies and consumer behavior.