"A family residing in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention across the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite initial doubt, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unusual aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to impart.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", said he. "They realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who express similar reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the age of seven, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
