"A household residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained interest in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial scepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the atypical nature of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The family understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not instantly create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
