"Parents residing in north London seeks an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have already been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice in the media, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who share similar doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
