"A household based in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice throughout the press, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional character of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then set in".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
