St. John Baptist De La Salle was a
Human-Centered Design Thinker
by Br. Mike Valenzuela FSC
He began with EMPATHY, immersing himself in the lives of the children of the working class and the poor. He wanted to understand the world from their point of view, their hopes, aspirations and possibilities. This helped him to DEFINE the educational challenges before him. He didn’t start out by asking what the latest learning theories or advancements in education were. He wasn’t interested in being up to date. He was interested in making a real difference in the lives of poor and vulnerable youngsters who were “dear to the heart of God.”
This is why his educational classic THE CONDUCT OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS which standardized basic education in France could not be written until he and the Brothers had enough years of experimentation and iteration to eventually say “this is it (for now).” Even then, the work would undergo revisions. Had he had his way, there would probably have been no definitive edition of his famous manual. What was important was the ongoing conversation centered on the question, “What’s helping young people meet their needs?”
This dynamic of attention and empathy leading to creativity and innovation is the lifeblood of a Lasallian institution. It’s not about seeking to be the best, but about doing the best we can for those God entrusts to us.
