"A family located in north London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the news, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid history to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", said he. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will not automatically produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
