"Parents located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily skip the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have now been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have those reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been educated experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will not necessarily produce the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be taught – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
