Joseph Lancaster

Joseph Lancaster (1778-1838) was an English educator and reformer known for developing the Lancasterian system of education, which emphasized teaching large groups of students through peer instruction. He advocated for free education accessible to the poor and opened schools that combined the rote learning of students with the help of older students teaching younger ones. His method aimed to improve education efficiency and accessibility, particularly during the Industrial Revolution. Lancaster’s influence helped shape public education systems, and his ideas contributed to the establishment of more formal, structured schooling, emphasizing the importance of education as a means for social improvement.