"Parents residing in north London wants to find an exceptional and qualified educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most significant element of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Many of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted notice in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite early skepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual nature of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To engage a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily create the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
