"Parents based in North London wants to find an remarkable and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the crucial part of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted attention in the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding early scepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to impart.
He said the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the education sector who have these doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I think the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
