"A family based in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled educator to support their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily overlook the wording "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the news, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that despite early skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor must be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", would the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", replied he. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who share those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
