"A family located in North London seeks an exceptional and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally miss the term "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite initial skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then set in".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share these concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
