"A family based in north London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the crucial part of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been received since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention across the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first skepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents know this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
