"A family residing in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it might be the crucial part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention throughout the media, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who have similar concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
