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A. HERBERT SPENCER (1820 – 1903) – Utilitarian Education

➢ Spencer’s concept of “survival of the fittest” means that human development had gone
through an evolutionary series of stages from the simple to the complex and from the

uniform to the more specialized kind of activity.

➢ Social development had taken place according to an evolutionary process by which simple
homogeneous societies had evolved to more complex societal systems characterized with

humanistic and classical education.

➢ Industrialized society require vocational and professional education based on scientific and
practical objectives rather than on the very general educational goals associated with

humanistic and classical education.

➢ Curriculum should emphasize the practical, utilitarian and scientific subjects that helped
human kind master the environment.

➢ Was not inclined to rote learning; schooling must be related to life and to the activities
needed to earn a living.

➢ Curriculum must be arranged according to their contribution to human survival and

progress.

➢ Science and other have curricular priority since it aids in the performance of life activities.

➢ Individual competition leads to social progress. He who is fittest survives.

Spencer’s Survival of the Fittest

He who is fittest survives. Individual competition leads to social progress. The competition

in class is what advocates of whole-child approach and Socio-emotional Learning (SEL)

atmosphere negate. The whole child approaches a powerful tool for SELF-focused schools has a

tenet - “each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students

and adults” and “each student has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified

and caring adults” (Frey, N. 2019).

The highlighted words point to no competition for competition works against an emotionally safe

environment.