Tutoring an Infant to Grow into an 'English Gentleman' – Does It Justify the Cost?

Child education concept
The company responsible for the listing claims that what appears like "extravagance or oddity" is actually "intentional investment in initial instruction".

"A household based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."

When reading this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.

However, it could be the crucial part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a one-year-old.

Numerous of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".

Over the last few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the news, with numerous asking why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".

When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.

But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".

What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?

It's "everything", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".

He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.

The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.

Tutoring discussion
The tutoring agency claim the advert has initiated a broader discussion about how parents regard learning, privilege and the function of home and culture in learning.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to impart.

Adam noted the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

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

Expense Not a Factor

The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.

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

In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.

"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.

However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?

"Yes", said the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.

Impractical

Several in the tutoring industry who share these doubts.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

Peter explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.

Peter Cui portrait
Peter Cui was the first person hailing from mainland China to be chosen to the post of Treasurer of the university debating society.

"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.

"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will not necessarily produce the result they hope for.

"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."

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

Buying Britishness

Naturally, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.

"In my view the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating

Danielle Sexton
Danielle Sexton

Lotte Visser is een inspirerende creatieve coach met ervaring in kunstzinnige begeleiding, gericht op het ontketenen van potentieel.