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"A family based in North London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."

Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the phrase "first-steps" as mere an expression.

However, it may be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.

Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the unnamed family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".

Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice in the media, with numerous wondering why?

Innovative Idea

The CEO, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial doubt, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".

When he consulted the family, he noted they recognized the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.

But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".

But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?

It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".

He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.

The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.

Subtle Influence

"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained Adam.

It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.

Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.

Expense Not a Factor

The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of hobbies.

More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety 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 view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and provide access.

"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.

Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?

"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.

Impractical

Several in the education sector who have those reservations.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

He explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.

"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.

"Based on my background, employing a typically British tutor from babyhood will does not instantly create the outcome they hope for.

"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the experiences they aspire for their son."

He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."

Buying Britishness

Certainly, English culture is something the CEO believes can be taught – and commercialized.

"I think the situation that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating