"A household based in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might readily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.
But, it could be the most important part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained notice in the press, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that despite early scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he responded. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
However, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will will not automatically produce the outcome they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
