"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally miss the term "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice across the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, someone who can somehow transplant the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
