"A household residing in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice in the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding initial doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want history to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share those reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly create the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
