No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast

Summary In this episode, Meghan engages in a deep conversation with Ian Bowen who shares his inspiring journey from being a paraplegic to running marathons. He emphasizes the importance of coaching, mentorship, and the role of educators in helping individuals reach their potential. The discussion highlights the similarities between coaching and teaching, focusing on how both professions guide indi...

Welcome to Season 2 of No Name Paper — where we dig into the real work of education: the messy middle, the big shifts, and the people pushing our profession forward. We’re kicking off the season with a powerful conversation featuring Chad Ostrowski , co-founder and CEO of the Teach Better Team . Chad shares his journey from high-needs classrooms to developing the Grid Method , a mastery-based, sel...

Episode 42 — Culture First Classrooms with Dr. Darrin Peppard Happy New Year and welcome back to No Name Paper! To kick off the year, Meghan and Candice revisit and re-release one of the most powerful conversations from early in the podcast—an inspiring, wisdom-packed interview with Dr. Darrin Peppard , leadership expert, bestselling author, consultant, and host of the Leaning Into Leadership podc...

Happy holidays, teacher friends! Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, winter break, or simply breathing for the first time in weeks, this episode is our gift to you. We’re revisiting powerful, joyful, meaningful moments from some of our favorite conversations this year—with incredible educators who bring creativity, courage, purpose, and fun into classrooms every day. You’ll he...

No Name Paper — Relax & Rejuvenate: A Midyear Reset for Educators Episode Type: Curated Clips + Solo Reflection Host: Meghan Wells Length: ~25 minutes This episode of No Name Paper is a pause button . As the school year winds down and life speeds up, Meghan brings together some of the most meaningful moments from our most-listened-to episodes — featuring Elizabeth Lainez, Todd Nesloney, Dr. Da...

This week on the No Name Paper Podcast , we sit down with George Couros — speaker, consultant, former principal, and author of The Innovator’s Mindset , Innovate Inside the Box , and his upcoming book Forward Together . George is one of the most influential voices in education today, known for his blend of practical innovation, storytelling, humor, and deep belief in what schools can become when w...

Welcome back to The No Name Paper! In this episode, Meghan and Candice sit down with Tisha Richmond, a high school culinary arts teacher, former tech integration specialist, and author who specializes in infusing joy and creativity into the classroom. Tisha shares her journey from feeling teacher burnout to rediscovering her spark through technology and gamification. She discusses her brand new bo...

This week, we’re serving up a post-Thanksgiving slice of joy: a dynamic, big-energy conversation with Melissa Summerford — Teaching & Learning Coordinator with Kami, Google Innovator, Google Trainer, fashion icon, wig influencer, and proud Gen X educator who brings eighties mixtape magic into every room she enters. Get ready for humor, heart, real talk about classroom life, and a whole lot of...

In this inspiring episode, Meghan and Candice sit down with the dynamic Vernon Wright — former teacher, campus administrator, central office leader, mentor, speaker, and founder of The Wright Leader Movement . Vernon brings his trademark blend of authenticity, wisdom, and high-energy storytelling as he unpacks what it means to lead with intention and elevate the people around you. From his unexpec...

🎙️ No Name Paper – Aspire to Lead with Joshua Stamper Guest: Joshua Stamper – middle school assistant principal (17+ years), art teacher turned administrator Host of the Aspire to Lead podcast & author of Aspire to Lead Leadership coach and podcast network manager with the Teach Better Team Joshua shares his journey from struggling student who hated school to art teacher, coach, and trauma-inf...

Episode Title: Coaching with Heart: Dr. Colissa Irving on Leadership, Learning, and Letting Go This week on The No Name Paper Podcast , hosts Meghan Wells and Candace Miller sit down with the insightful and inspiring Dr. Colissa Irving , consultant for the Hamilton County ESC in Ohio. With over 24 years in education , Dr. Irving shares her journey from high school English teacher to instructional...

Guest: Mark Horner , Principal of Tallmadge High School (OH) Former teacher and coach Co-host of the Between Two Blue Devils student podcast Mark shares how student voice, servant leadership, and campus culture drive his daily mission. We dive into his Four W’s framework, the revival of the Blue Devils podcast , and how simple habits—like morning greetings—transform school climate. 00:00 – Intro &...

🎙️ This Week on No Name Paper Grab your coffee (and maybe a sticky note or two) because this conversation is one that will stick with you ! In this episode, Meghan and Candace sit down with Dr. Dave Schmittou —educator, author, speaker, and host of the Lasting Learning podcast—to unpack what it really means to create learning that lasts. From his early teaching days with five-prong chalk holders t...

From Hamburg to Chicago: Cheryl Graff’s Global Exchange Adventure This week on No Name Paper , Meghan Wells and Candace Miller welcome back fan favorite Cheryl Graff , fresh off a whirlwind cultural exchange between Chicago and Hamburg. Cheryl shares what it was like to host German students in the Windy City—field trips, food shocks, and Fulbright dreams included! From Taco Bell firsts and crowded...

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Meghan and Candace sit down with Barbara Bray — educator, author, speaker, and host of Rethinking Learning . From her early days as a dental hygienist to becoming a global voice in personalized learning, Barbara shares how she found her true purpose and built a life centered around passion, courage, and connection. Barbara opens up about her journey through...

This week on No Name Paper , Meghan and Candace sit down with Todd Nesloney—award-winning educator, bestselling author of Kids Deserve It , and White House Champion of Change. From his days as a classroom teacher and principal to his current role as Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership, Todd has made it his mission to help educators create schools where every child feels seen, valued, and...

Get ready for a whirlwind of energy! This week, we're joined all the way from South Africa by the incredible Steve Sherman, a multi-award-winning global educator, two-time TEDx speaker, and the founder and "Chief Imagination Officer" of Living Maths. His mission is simple yet profound: to smash the stereotype that math and science are boring and to make learning an electrifying adven...

Ever wonder what the music industry and education have in common? This week, we sit down with Jeff Gargas, the COO and co-founder of the Teach Better Team, whose career path started in a very different world. Jeff shares his incredible journey from running a record label and managing bands to partnering with his former drummer, Chad Ostrowski, to launch an educational movement. In this conversatio...

With Guest Host : Cheryl Graff This week, we're joined by the multi-talented Alex Mayszak, an award-winning EdTech leader who brings a unique secret ingredient to the table—he's also a certified pizzaiolo! Join us as Alex shares his incredible journey through education, from a high school history teacher to an elementary principal, and now as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation...

Blended Learning and Playful Protocols with Ben Cogswell Guest: Ben Cogswell In this episode, Meghan and Candace are joined by Ben Cogswell, an award-winning educator and co-author of The Primary Edition of The Eduprotocols Playbook . Ben shares his passion for blended learning, the importance of student discourse, and practical strategies for integrating technology thoughtfully into the primary c...

From the Grammys to the Classroom: Rethinking Education with Hedreich Nichols What does a Grammy-winning vocalist have in common with an instructional tech specialist and equity consultant? Meet Hedreich Nichols. This week, we talk with someone who has truly done it all—from performing on world stages to coaching educators on cultural competence. Hedreich shares her incredible journey from a life...

Leading with Heart and Intention with Livia Chan In this episode, we go international to chat with the insightful and uplifting Livia Chan, a third-grade head teacher from British Columbia, Canada. Livia shares her wealth of experience on how to lead with love, learn with joy, and build strong, positive school communities. In this episode, you'll learn about: Atomic Interactions: Livia introduces...

Are our students spending too much time as passive listeners? After a day shadowing a 6th-grade student, educator Debbie Tannenbaum knew we had to do better. In this episode, we sit down with Debbie Tannenbaum, a nationally recognized educator with over 26 years of experience, to discuss how to transform classrooms into dynamic, active learning environments. As an elementary tech coach and ISTE Ce...

🎙 No Name Paper Podcast – Episode: STEM, Games & Creativity with Elizabeth Lainez In this episode, Meghan and Candace chat with Elisabeth Lainez , a K–5 STEM teacher in New York City whose energy and creativity light up the classroom. From makerspaces to game-based learning, Elizabeth shares how she blends hands-on STEM projects, real-world problem-solving, and technology to engage her student...

In this episode of The No Name Paper Podcast , we’re joined by the incredible Carly Spina—educator, author, and multilingual learner advocate who brings nearly two decades of boots-on-the-ground experience. Carly shares her journey from ESL teacher to instructional coach to her current role at the Illinois Resource Center, where she champions equity-driven practices across the country. We talk abo...