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"A family located in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."

Looking at this post, you might readily miss the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.

But, it may be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".

Over the last few weeks, the post has received interest in the media, with many questioning why?

Forward-Thinking Method

A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".

When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.

But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".

But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?

It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".

He stated the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their new baby.

The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.

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

The consultant said the tutor had to be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.

Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and provide access.

"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.

But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the international family he lives with in any case?

"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.

Impractical

Several in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.

Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."

Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.

"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he commented.

"In my experience, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will not instantly create the outcome they hope for.

"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He stated: "The fact is, personal identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."

Purchasing UK Culture

Naturally, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.

"In my view the situation that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating