"A household based in north London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Many of responses have since been received since the unidentified family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the news, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, 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 age "cultural bias had already set in".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", answered he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, a person who can somehow impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from infancy will will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
