"A family located in North London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily skip the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it could be the most significant element of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of first doubt, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional character of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
He wrote that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
