"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally overlook the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been received since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice throughout the news, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding early scepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered he. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
