"A household residing in North London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily miss the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the news, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first doubt, he considered the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
Adam explained the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training 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 range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will not automatically produce the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
