"A family based in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally overlook the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the news, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons 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 perspective, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share those reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated understanding and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
