"Parents based in north London seeks an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the crucial aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been received since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained attention in the media, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
He said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – 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 doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range 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, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, appears idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the result they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
