"A family located in north London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has received attention throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they recognized the atypical aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is kind of osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of courses 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, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who have those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can somehow transfer the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
