"A family located in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might naturally miss the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it might be the most significant element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention across the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite first skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who express those concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the result they hope for.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
