"A household residing in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily overlook the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of first scepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who have similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
