"Parents based in north London wants to find an remarkable and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might readily skip the term "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the crucial aspect of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that despite initial skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share similar doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not necessarily produce the result they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
