"Parents located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the most significant aspect of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a infant.
Many of responses have already been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the press, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite early scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the start here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who have similar doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
