"A family based in North London seeks an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the news, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that despite initial skepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical character of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally 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 learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who share these concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He noted that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not instantly produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
