"Parents located in north London is looking for an exceptional and experienced educator to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally miss the term "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the unnamed family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he found the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories 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 don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", said the CEO. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
