"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant element of this unique job advert, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have similar doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living two backgrounds. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, having a distinctly English tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
