"Parents residing in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has received notice in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," stated Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who express these doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the attributes of a English gentleman upon a infant child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
