"A family residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as mere an expression.
However, it might be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained notice across the media, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who share those reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily create the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
