"Parents residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
However, it may be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the press, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early scepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
He noted the tutor must 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 simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the private teaching field who have those reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can possibly transplant the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will not instantly achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
