"Parents located in North London wants to find an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it might be the most significant part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to Adam they did not want the same situation to recur with their infant.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a representation of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will not necessarily produce the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
