"A family based in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to assist their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the news, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early doubt, he found the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told him they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
He said the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The family know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
