No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast

A podcast exploring practical strategies, leadership, technology integration, and real-world insights for educators.

No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Meghan Wells, with 79 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Meghan Wells hosts No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast, a education show with 79 episodes published.

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  No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast

  Season 2, Episode 39: Imparting Joy in Education with Jill Dubois

  Oct 1, 202632 min

  Season 2, Episode 39: Imparting Joy in Education with Jill Dubois What does it look like to reinvent your career without losing the parts of yourself that matter most? Jill Dubois spent 22 years in elementary classrooms before stepping into what she calls her "Act Two" — and she hasn't slowed down since. Now a professional learning specialist with Forward Edge, author, illustrator, artist, and the creator behind Imparted Joy, Jill brings warmth, creativity, and genuine human connection to everything she does. This summer she attended the Google Innovator Academy in Atlanta and came home and immediately started building GEG Tampa to connect educators across the Tampa Bay area and beyond. This week we talk about joy, AI, career reinvention, and what happens when you stop waiting for permission to do the things that light you up. In this episode: How Jill went from volunteering at her son's school to 22 years in the classroom — and why homeschooling him through middle and high school changed the way she taught everyone else What Imparted Joy is, where it came from, and why it still drives everything she does Her "Act Two" — how she landed at Forward Edge, became a Google Certified Trainer, and then applied to the Google Innovator Academy What AI actually looks like in professional learning right now — the good, the messy, and the teachers who accidentally submitted their entire AI prompt instead of their reflection Why AI is your passenger, not your driver How joy shows up in professional development — and why setting boundaries is part of it Colored pencils, crocheting, unfinished projects, and why none of that matters as long as you're doing something for yourself Plus: We play Sparks Joy or Hard Pass — Jill weighs in on laminators, conference swag, QR codes, Bitmoji classrooms, Canva, paper planners, Chrome extensions, educator conference selfies, Google Forms for everything, mandatory icebreakers, Teachers Pay Teachers, badges and micro-credentials, the Google waffle, Sunday night lesson planning, and "remember your why." Connect with Jill: Website: impartedjoy.com LinkedIn: Jill Dubois Find her — she's everywhere, but LinkedIn is home base right now If this episode gave you a little spark, share it with someone who needs a reminder that Act Two is allowed to look completely different. Subscribe and leave a review.

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  No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast

  Season 2, Episode 38: Saying Yes to the World with Cheryl Graff

  Sep 24, 202654 min

  Season 2, Episode 38: Saying Yes to the World with Cheryl Graff What happens when you stop waiting until you feel completely ready and just go for it? Cheryl Graff is back on No Name Paper — and she has had a year. From a remote boarding school in the Peruvian Andes as a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms fellow, to bonding with educators from South Africa and Korea at a Google Innovator Academy in Atlanta, Cheryl has spent the last year saying yes to experiences that most teachers only dream about. And she brought every single lesson back to her students. This week we talk about what it actually looks like to step so far outside your comfort zone that you need altitude medicine, a headlamp, and a crash course in hiking gear — and come home a better teacher for it. In this episode: What the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program actually is, how it works, and how to apply Life at a competitive Peruvian government boarding school in the Andes — where kids get two 20-minute breaks a day and treated Cheryl like a celebrity What Cheryl's host teacher Ellie taught her about resourcefulness, community, and what great teaching looks like without "fancy schmancy" resources What she brought back to her Chicago classroom — including walk-up songs, dance, and a Peruvian fried rice recipe that disappeared in two minutes at the teacher barbecue The Google Innovator Academy — the community, the moonshot ideas, and the app she built with a colleague right after Why this summer convinced her that before curriculum comes pride, ownership, and helping kids believe in themselves Plus: We play Innovate It, Import It, or Ignore It — Cheryl weighs in on AI writing feedback, one-to-one devices, student cell phones as instructional tools, virtual field trips, and giving teachers dedicated time to create during the school day. What's next for Cheryl: Volunteering in northern Israel over winter break — helping rebuild homes and reconnect with former host teachers A new Life Skills class focused on nutrition, mindful eating, and community health A Culture Club taking Chicago students to explore their own city — the Obama Center, the Chicago Marathon, Hyde Park, and beyond Connect with Cheryl: Instagram: @msgraff (search Graff's Room) LinkedIn: Cheryl Graff Fulbright capstone website linked in her Instagram bio — highly recommend checking it out Resources Mentioned: Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program (U.S. State Department / IREX) Google Innovator Academy Order Up AI — app built with Google Play Labs Sora (mentioned in passing) The importance of getting out of your own school community — even without leaving your classroom Know a teacher who needs a push to say yes to something big? Send them this episode. Subscribe, leave a review, and keep learning.

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  Episode #35

  S2E37: Season 2, Episode 37: Why Schools Still Need Librarians with Kayla McNaughton

  Sep 17, 202658 minS2

  S2E37: Season 2, Episode 37: Why Schools Still Need Librarians with Kayla McNaughton When was the last time you walked into a school library? If you're picturing a quiet room full of books and someone shushing kids, Kayla McNaughton is here to tell you that library doesn't exist anymore — and honestly, good riddance. Kayla is a middle school librarian and the educator behind Simply Library on Instagram. She spent a decade in elementary libraries before making the move to secondary, and she's built a space where students actually want to show up — not because they have to, but because something there connects with them. This week we talk about what a modern school library actually looks like, why the librarian role is so much more than books, and what happens when you give kids the freedom to explore what they're actually interested in. In this episode: How Kayla accidentally stumbled into library science — and why it turned out to be the perfect fit The difference between elementary and secondary library work (and why middle school won her over) How she built genuine student connection through a career interest project — including one student who wanted to be a race car driver Makerspaces, 3D printers, hydro towers, Uno, and collaborative coloring sheets — what's actually in her library How she used Sora reading challenges to dramatically increase student engagement with reading Why she pushes into classrooms instead of waiting for them to come to her Her bi-weekly school newsletter and why she refuses to teach her AP how to make it Plus: We play Check It Out, Return It, or Renew It — Kayla weighs in on reading logs, 20-minutes-a-night requirements, graphic novels and manga, reading level restrictions, and book talks. Connect with Kayla: Instagram: @simply_library DMs are open — real responses, no bots Resources Mentioned: Sora by OverDrive Dog Man, Wimpy Kid (yes, they count) The Bad Case of Stripes If this episode resonated with you, share it with a librarian who needs to hear it — or a teacher who's never really thought about what their school librarian actually does. Subscribe and leave a review.

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  No Name Paper: A Teacher Podcast

  S: 2, Ep: 36: Recognizing the Leader within with Lauren Kaufman

  Sep 10, 202636 min

  Do we actually give teachers the space and authority to lead — or have we just given them something else to be responsible for? This week, Lauren Kaufman joins the No Name Paper podcast to talk about what it really looks like to recognize the leader already inside the building. Lauren is a district leader on Long Island, NY with 21 years of experience across nearly every role in education — classroom teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, assistant principal, and now district leader. She's also the author of The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within . We get into literacy, professional learning, mentorship, and what it means to lead with a coaching mindset. In this episode: Why Lauren never leaves her office without a book — and how it gets her into classrooms What it actually looks like to lead teacher professional development with teachers, not at them The shift from balanced literacy to the science of reading — and what really changed in practice The Big Six skills and why they don't stop mattering in secondary classrooms What the pilot process for adopting a new evidence-based literacy resource really involves Why the instructional coaching role was the most eye-opening of Lauren's career What two decades in education taught her about relationships, legacy, and showing up for kids Plus: We play Lead It, Coach It, or Get Out of the Way — Lauren weighs in on veteran teachers trying new approaches, classroom management unraveling, teachers who won't use the district resource, and more. Then it's a rapid-fire round of PD or Please Don't covering mandatory icebreakers, full-day keynotes, book studies, instructional rounds, PLCs, and Google forms. Connect with Lauren Kaufman: laurenmkaufman.com LinkedIn & social media: search Lauren Kaufman Books & Resources Mentioned: The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within — Lauren Kaufman Shifting the Balance The Scarborough Reading Rope Structured Literacy / Science of Reading

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  Episode #35

  S.2 Ep.35 Rethinking Student Autonomy and Preparation with Tisha Poncio

  Sep 3, 20261 hourS2

  Episode Summary Are we just preparing students to do really well at school, or are we actually preparing them for life? In this episode of the No Name Paper Podcast , host Meghan Wells sits down with veteran educator, edtech leader, author, and podcast co-host Tisha Ponzio . They unpack the deep gap between academic compliance and real-world readiness, discussing why student agency matters, how to break free from traditional grading models, and why getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is essential for growth. Tisha also shares practical advice on personal branding for educators, navigating the corporate transition, and making AI literacy a natural part of human-centered learning. School vs. Real Life: Examining whether current educational systems focus too much on rubrics and deadlines at the expense of critical thinking and self-direction. The Power of Student Agency: Moving away from a culture of pure compliance and giving students the autonomy to lead, create, and solve real-world problems. Transitioning Out of the Classroom: Tisha shares her candid advice for educators looking to make a career pivot—emphasizing why you should run toward something new rather than running away from burnout. Personal Branding for Educators: Why developing a professional identity and sharing authentic classroom strategies helps teachers stand out and protect their passion. AI and Modern Literacy: Practical ways teachers and students can embrace AI tools critically, stay in control of the technology, and model ethical digital habits. The "School Skill vs. Life Skill" Game: A fun breakdown of traditional academic expectations versus the actual competencies students need after graduation. Website: tishaponzio.com Podcast: Check out the Play at Three Podcast at playatthree.com Social Media: Find Tisha on all platforms at @TishaPonzio Book: Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the No Name Paper Podcast for more conversations on what’s actually happening in classrooms and what actually works! Key Takeaways & Topics DiscussedConnect with Tisha Ponzio

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