"A family located in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest in the media, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early skepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they aim to impart.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been educated knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can function as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
