"A household located in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a infant.
Many of submissions have already been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice throughout the media, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their request, and how immature 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 influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to instil.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who share those doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a British gentleman to a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will not necessarily create the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
