"A family located in north London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "first-steps" as simple an expression.
Yet, it could be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it aims to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that despite first skepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified 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 stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will not automatically produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
