"A household based in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important part of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice in the media, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that despite early scepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express those doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the world regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
