Educators As Designers with Author Jim Gaona Ellis
About this episode
Mike Palmer interviews Jim Gaona Ellis about transforming educators into active designers of learning experiences.
How do we shift the role of teachers from passive curriculum implementers to active classroom architects? This week on Trending in Ed, host Mike Palmer is joined by K-12 math teacher and author Jim Gaona Ellis on the day his new book drops: Educators as Designers: The Hidden Architecture of Learning. Drawing from his unique background transitioning from an architecture student to a global educator across Phoenix, Madrid, and Vienna, Jim brings a fresh, human-centered lens to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We dive deep into the real-world application of design thinking in the classroom, moving past rigid checklists to focus heavily on the actual problems students face. Key Insights: Deconstructing "Hostile Design" in Schools: Jim explains how hostile urban architecture (like park benches built to deter the unhoused) mirrors common school punishments—such as stripping away a student's lunch period for missing homework. We discuss how these reactions merely mask symptoms rather than addressing root causes like student confusion or forgetfulness. High-Tech vs. No-Tech Classroom Tools: We look at how Jim pairs digital platforms like Desmos to illustrate the immense scale of…
More episodes of Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer
- Leading from the Heart | Dr. D Ivan Young on Self-Empathy and the Neuroscience of Leadership
- Building Explainable AI with Beth Rudden - CEO at Bast AI
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer podcast page.