"A family residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily miss the wording "first-steps" as mere an expression.
But, it may be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained notice in the news, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of initial scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get 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", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The parents know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who express those doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up knowing and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
