To Touch Hearts Pedagogical Spirituality And St John Baptist De La Salle

This book is a slightly updated version of the Ph.D. dissertation by George Van Grieken, FSC, in 1995 for Boston College. It is the first published version of the work. It provides both a biography of St. John Baptist de La Salle and a detailed overview of the pedagogical spirituality that he developed for the "Christian Schools" that he and his Brothers founded and operated. As an innovator with both deeply spiritual and eminently practical interests, De La Salle was a transformative influence for many educational orders of the 18th and 19th century, shaping Catholic education for future centuries. The book is based on a careful reading of two of his seminal works, the Meditations and the Conduct of Schools. The shape and substance of his unique pedagogical spirituality emerges from these writings.

This work addresses Lasallian pedagogical spirituality, defined as the dynamic integration of foundational convictions, basic operative commitments, and consistent practices permeating the teaching dimensions of schools that claim the heritage of St. John Baptist de La Salle and the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The dissertation examines the content of Lasallian pedagogical spirituality and proposes measures for realizing its vitality within Lasallian school life. Particular pedagogical characteristics, components of an overall pedagogical spirituality, are present in the original charism of St. John Baptist de La Salle. The basic operative commitments that underlie those characteristics ought to be integrally realized in a pedagogy that claims to be Lasallian and wholly incorporated in the formation of Lasallian educators. There are three sequential parts to the dissertation: 1) an overview of the St. John Baptist de La Salle's context and personal history, 2) an overview of his literature followed by an analysis of aspects of Lasallian pedagogical spirituality evidenced in that literature according to five pedagogical elements: the teacher, the student, the teacher/student relationship, the activity of teaching, and the school in general, and 3) a contemporary articulation of the Lasallian basic operative commitments that characterize his spirituality today, along with their implications for the formation of Lasallian educators Extrapolating from the life and writings of De La Salle, ten Lasallian operative commitments are proposed. The commitments are presented in the form of attributes that may be applied to Lasallian institutions and their pedagogical components: 1) centered in and nurtured by the life of faith, 2) trusting providence in discerning God's will, 3) with creativity and fortitude, 4) through the agency the Holy Spirit, 5) incarnating Christian paradigms & dynamics, 6) with practical orientation, 7) devoted to education, accessible and comprehensive, 8) committed to the poor, 9) working in association, 10) expressing a lay vocation. The dissertation concludes by presenting teacher formation structures and strategies for introducing Lasallian operative commitments and by providing a Lasallian Mission and Vision Statement.

This book provides an overview of the spirituality behind the educational ministry of the De La Salle Christian Brothers and over 1,000 educational institutions around the world, including 56 high schools and 5 colleges / universities in the United States. The book includes three sections - an overview of St. John Baptist de La Salle's life and times, a summary of his educational vision and practice in his own words, and a modern look at how that spirituality is lived out in schools today. It is an excellent introduction to the Lasallian educational world for new teachers, administrators, board members, and others associated with Lasallian schools. It establishes the context and the basic content for many conversations about the Lasallian mission, especially those that address the question of the identity of Lasallian schools.

This volume is a resource for teachers, administrators, board members and all who are engaged in Lasallian educational ministries today. It reflects on the life and times of De La Salle and the early Institute and their significance in today's educational world. There are questions at the end of each chapter along with a description of the Lasallian School as found in the tradition. The book contains an extensive annotated bibliography of Lasallian resources as well as a glossary of Lasallian terms. A model Lasallian Mission and Vision Statement gives any Lasallian group an excellent example of such statements

This volume in the Classics of Western Spirituality makes available to a broad readership a selection of the core writings of John Baptist de La Salle (1651-1719), a French priest and educator who changed the face of education in his time and whose reforms continue to influence the ways we educate our children today. Born to a wealthy family, de La Salle turned his attention early on to the education of the poor and the marginalized and, at the same time, unwittingly founded a new type of religious community: Brothers who were teachers and active religious. Through his dedication to the vocation of teaching, de La Salle instituted several procedures that are still in practice in public and parochial institutions. --student cooperative learning --tuition-free attendance --involvement of parents --student service and ownership De La Salle's spirituality for educators, which melds prayer and action, compassion and practicality, can be read afresh in every age: it transcends time and place. +

Volume III, Modern Indian History: The volume contains 59 articles covering a wide range of topics including Historiography , Christian Missionaries, Women Education in Pre-Independence period, Social Forestry, Mir Osman Alikhan, Ramji Gond, Quit India movement, Madras Presidency, social reformers, Rural transformation, Peasant struggle, Freedom struggle, Mahatma Gandhi’s tours in Telugu, speaking areas, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s contributions, status of women, in Pre-Independence period, Regulating Act of 1773, Dalit movement in South India, Muslim reformers of India and Princely States: Historiographical Trends etc.,This Volume serves as a valuable source book for students, research scholars and teachers of historical studies for the people who want to know about the evolution of mankind in different perspectives. This volume also highlights the love and affection of Prof. P. Chenna Reddy enjoys in the intellectual world. The felicitation Volume is brought out in a series of 12 independent books covering a total of 460 articles. Every volume contains two sections. The first section contains the biographical sketch of Prof.P.Chenna Reddy, his achievements and contribution to archaeology, history and Society. The second section of each volume is subject specific.