"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as mere an expression.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the unidentified family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted interest throughout the news, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of initial scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then set in".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to instil.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "They understand this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that an individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from infancy will not automatically achieve the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, personal identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
