"Parents residing in North London wants to find an exceptional and skilled tutor to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the wording "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the most significant part of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received notice in the media, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share these reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the goal they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
