"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most significant part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that despite first scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told Adam they did not want history to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the development at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The family understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live several of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
