"A household located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the news, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they stated 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 already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to instil.
He noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence 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 lessons 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 perspective, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
