"A family based in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally overlook the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the most important element of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the media, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of first skepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who express these concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been brought up understanding and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
