"Parents located in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have already been received since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the media, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, said that despite initial doubt, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the atypical character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The parents know this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who express those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically British tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
