"A household located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
