To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Francisco Giner, thinker, educator and promoter of the modernization of Spain (and one of the main founders of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza), this exquisite exhibition highlights the personal trajectory of Francisco Giner de los Ríos and his main work: the ILE movement.
The exhibition “Giner: The Master of Modern Spain” runs until Sunday, May 22nd. You’ll be able to find out more about Francisco Giner de los Ríos and the ILE.
The work and initiatives of this eminent pedagogue are displayed through original documents, photographs, letters, books, objects, and paintings.
The exhibition also highlights the connection with personalities related to the educational renewal and the ILE such as Sorolla, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Federico García Lorca, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Salvador Dalí, and Rafael Altamira, among others.
ILE Movement
The ILE movement was an inspiring cultural force, where figures like Albert Einstein, Ortega y Gasset, and Leo Tolstoy gave lectures.
It became a creative hub for artistic and scientific elites from the European vanguards, especially within the framework of the Student Residence.
Currently, the Student Residence can be visited and also offers student accommodation at excellent prices.
It’s one of the main cultural history sites in the heart of Madrid, located at:
Calle del Pinar, 21-23 (parallel to Castellana)
☎️ 915 63 64 11
In this residence, important personalities such as Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí, and Federico García Lorca met and developed friendships.
It’s a highly recommended place to visit —featuring a museum, shop and restaurant, and it is open on weekends.
You can even have lunch in the old dining room (reservation is recommended):
☎️ 915 61 32 00
The Free Institution of Education
The Free Institution of Education was the most significant educational movement in contemporary Spain.
It promoted European educational trends and embraced principles from the New School.
Key aspects of its philosophy include:
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Freedom in teaching
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Holistic education (social, moral, intellectual, physical)
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Co-education and family involvement
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Artistic and nature-based learning
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Participative, open, and creative classroom methodology
ALA’s Connection with Giner de los Ríos
The educational philosophy promoted by Francisco Giner de los Ríos is one of the sources of inspiration for the methodology of American Language Academy, where very small groups of students interact directly with teachers to develop practical communication skills.
“Classes should be a gathering for a few hours, pleasant, spontaneous, intimate, in which the theoretical and practical exercises, dialogue and explanation, discussion and mutual inquiry alternate freely with rational art.”
— Francisco Giner de los Ríos
At American Language Academy, we celebrate his legacy by encouraging an active, participative, and motivating learning environment where learners develop real communicative skills.
“Break the enormous masses of students, which, by necessity are limited to passively hearing a lecture, or interrogations of memory. In exchange, substitute these classic elements by getting teachers together with close circles of participative students, who think, who talk, who argue and move, and who are, in short, alive.”
— Francisco Giner de los Ríos
In Conclusion
We commemorate the important figure of Francisco Giner de los Ríos by embracing and celebrating free and creative education.
