"A family based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the unnamed family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received interest throughout the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of first skepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is rather osmotic," explained the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes 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, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share similar doubts.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and practicing both cultures. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the result they desire.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
