St John Baptist de La Salle – a guiding light for educators
His contributions to education were groundbreaking, leaving a legacy that transformed the profession
Born in 1651 into a prosperous family in Reims, France, St John Baptist de La Salle enjoyed a privileged upbringing.
While studying to become a priest, he had to return home due to the death of both his parents so as to take care of his younger brothers and sisters. He was ordained a priest in 1678.
By coincidence – or by God’s providence – he crossed paths with Adrian Nyel, an educator devoted to establishing schools for underprivileged boys in Reims. De La Salle welcomed Nyel into his home.
While Nyel was busy setting up schools, those who were recruited to teach were themselves poorly educated and lacked pedagogical guidance. They had no support and felt abandoned to their own limited resources.
De La Salle was asked to help take an active role in their formation. He thus rented a house for the teachers to reside together. He resigned from his influential position as a canon of Reims Cathedral and, after deciding to give away his share of the family wealth, shared a life of poverty with the teachers.
The teachers realised the need for stronger unity among them and proposed to De La Salle that they form a religious community, committing themselves to God, to each other and to the young people entrusted to their care.
This led to the foundation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Their mission was revolutionary, focusing on both faith and education as transformative forces in young lives.
To touch the hearts of your pupils is the greatest miracle you can perform- St John Baptist de La Salle
De La Salle’s writings reflect a realistic and compassionate approach to working with young people. In The Conduct of Schools, he emphasised the importance of understanding students’ limitations, stating: “It often happens that the pupils have not the strength of body or mind to carry the burdens that often crush them.” While the very large classes of the time were carefully regulated (not least in order to preserve the health of the teachers), he advocated for guidance and correction over harsh punishment.
In an era when respect for the individual centred on the upper echelons of society, De La Salle boldly asserted: “Take even more care of the young people entrusted to you than if they were the children of a king.” He encouraged teachers to see their students as reflections of Christ. They must “get to know their pupils”, “knowing them all individually” and respecting the dignity of each. “To touch the hearts of your pupils is the greatest miracle you can perform,” he wrote.
By his early 40s, De La Salle began to suffer chronic rheumatism. He was also asthmatic, and severe kidney trouble brought him close to death. But he concealed his illness so well and maintained such a cheerful and calm demeanour that people hardly noticed he was unwell. His reaction to pain, illness, difficulties and persecution was: “God be blessed; and his will be done.”
De La Salle’s contributions to education were groundbreaking. He established communities of Brother-teachers who would be steadfast and of support to each other, consecrated by vows. He was the first to dignify teaching as a ministry in itself. He is credited as having started a workable teacher-training system some 200 years before it was taken up elsewhere. He wrote several inspirational books for educators, and advocated that a library should always be at the disposal of students.
He broke the long-standing practice of teaching students individually, developing the practice of instructing them simultaneously. While in other schools, pupils were first taught to read in Latin, De La Salle revolutionised education by teaching in the vernacular.
He also founded the first schools for delinquents and the first secondary schools for modern languages, arts and sciences, and technical schools offering agricultural courses and practical workshops.
De La Salle’s holistic approach to education seamlessly blended academic, moral and spiritual development. He believed schools should integrate faith with practical knowledge, striking a balance that was neither solely religious nor purely secular.
De La Salle died in 1719. He was canonised in 1900 – 125 years ago – and on May 15, 1950 – 75 years ago – was declared the patron saint of teachers.
It is a source of great pride to all those who draw inspiration from St John Baptist de La Salle that 25 Brothers – 20 of whom were martyrs – have been declared blessed or saints, further affirming the impact of his vision.
De La Salle’s enduring legacy reminds us that education is not just about knowledge, but about shaping lives of faith, compassion and purpose.