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
Born in Reims, Jean-Baptiste de La Salle renounced a promising ecclesiastical career to dedicate himself to the education of poor children. He founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers) 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.