"Parents residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most significant aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has attracted interest throughout the press, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told him they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share those doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from babyhood will will not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
