"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally overlook the term "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the crucial element of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted notice in the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the atypical character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered he. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been educated understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"From my perspective, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will not instantly create the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
