"Parents residing in North London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled educator to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has received attention in the press, with many wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite first doubt, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", answered he. "They understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
