"Parents located in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "first-steps" as mere an expression.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unique job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has received attention across the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that despite first doubt, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up 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 perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who share these concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been brought up understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will will not automatically achieve the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
