John Baptist de La Salle
A French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He is a patron saint of teachers.
- Early modern era
- France
- Feast day April 7
- 1651 – 1719
- Priest
- Founder
Listen to the life 0:41
Born in Reims and a canon of the cathedral, Jean-Baptiste de La Salle renounced his canonry and his fortune to dedicate himself to the education of poor children. He founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools to train Christian teachers and establish free schools. His work revolutionized education by introducing innovative pedagogical methods such as simultaneous instruction and teaching in the vernacular language. Canonized in 1900, he was proclaimed the universal patron of Christian educators in 1950.
