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"A household residing in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified educator to support their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."

When reading this post, you might readily overlook the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.

But, it could be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of responses have since been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".

During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest across the media, with many wondering why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, said that despite first scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".

But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?

It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".

He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.

The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.

Adam explained the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Cost Not Relevant

The family told the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.

Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and open doors.

"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.

But, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", might the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?

"Yes", answered Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.

Impractical

Several in the tutoring industry who share those reservations.

An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."

Peter wrote that he had emigrated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.

"The concept that a single person can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transfer the attributes of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unrealistic," he commented.

"From my perspective, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily produce the outcome they want.

"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."

He added: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."

Acquiring Englishness

Naturally, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be educated – and commercialized.

"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating