"A family located in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant aspect of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the news, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that despite first skepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered he. "They know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically English tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
