"Parents residing in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and qualified instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
But, it may be the most significant aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to hire a teacher for a infant.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical character of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to instil.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who express similar reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the result they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the CEO believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
