John Baptist de La Salle was a French priest born on April 30, 1651, in Reims, France. He is best known for founding the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, which focused on providing education to poor children. His innovative teaching methods emphasized the importance of education in the vernacular language and the establishment of schools. De La Salle is recognized as the patron saint of teachers and educators. He dedicated his life to improving education and training teachers, believing that education should be accessible to all. He passed away on April 7, 1719, and was canonized as a saint in 1900.