"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled instructor to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most important element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have already been received since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite initial doubt, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
