"A household based in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced instructor to support their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally skip the wording "first-steps" as just figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite first scepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they aim to instil.
He said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and practicing both cultures. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
