"A family residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has received notice across the media, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid history to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor must be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", might the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who share those reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can act as a representation of English culture, a person who can somehow impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
