"A household residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to find a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite early doubt, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed him they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," 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 impart.
He noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had moved from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, someone who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will not instantly achieve the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
