"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a infant.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained interest across the news, with several questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have similar reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will will not automatically achieve the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
