"A family residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified instructor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most significant element of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have since been received since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the press, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first scepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor must be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", said Adam. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who express these doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
