Joan Puig i Elias facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Puig i Elias
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| Born | July 30, 1898 |
| Died | September 5, 1972 (aged 74) |
| Occupation | Educator |
| Movement | Anarchism, Ferrer Movement |
Joan Puig i Elias (1898–1972) was a teacher and a supporter of anarchist ideas from Catalonia, Spain. He continued the important work of another educator, Francisco Ferrer. During the Spanish Civil War, Joan Puig i Elias led a special group called the New Unified School Council.
Contents
A Life Dedicated to Education
Early Life and New Ideas
Joan Puig i Elias was born in 1898. From a young age, he joined a workers' union called the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT). He was very interested in new ways of teaching.
In 1921, he started working at a school called Escuela Natura in Barcelona. Here, he put into practice the teaching ideas of Francisco Ferrer Guardia's Escuela Moderna (Modern School). His goal was to teach not just facts, but also feelings. He believed that learning should happen by being close to nature. The main ideas at Escuela Natura were:
- Focusing on the child's needs.
- Learning by observing nature.
- Using curiosity to drive learning.
Education During the Spanish Civil War
When the Spanish Civil War and a big social change began in 1936, Joan Puig i Elias became the leader of the New Unified School Council (CENU). This group worked to spread a new kind of education across Catalonia. This education was free from religious control and encouraged freedom of thought.
He started a campaign to teach people to read and write. In just five months, he helped open 100 new schools. More than 60,000 children were able to attend these schools.
After some fighting in Barcelona in 1937, he was given an important job in 1938. He became the Assistant Secretary for Public Education and Health. The main Minister was Segundo Blanco, who was also part of the CNT union.
Life After the War
In 1939, the side Joan Puig i Elias supported lost the war. He had to leave Spain and went to France. While in France, he joined the French Resistance, a group that fought against the occupation of France during World War II.
In 1952, he moved to Brazil and lived in a city called Porto Alegre. There, he wrote a book called El hombre, el medio y la Sociedad. The Determinants of Individual Behavior (1970). He passed away in 1972.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Puig Elías para niños
