"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to support their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have now been received since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted attention in the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite first scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
He said the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said he. "They know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
