Be A Funky Teacher Podcast
Real conversations for educators who care deeply about the work.
Classroom stories, practical ideas, teacher well-being, leadership, student voice, and honest reflection from Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve.
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309 episodes
Aug 15, 2026
I Need to Take a Step Back
In this episode, I step away from my normal format and simply talk about where I am right now. After more than 300 episodes, multiple podcast series, book…
Aug 14, 2026
Teaching in the Age of AI
In this episode, I explore teaching in the age of AI through the lens of teacher sustainability. I use AI regularly to brainstorm, organize ideas, develop pacing guides,…
Aug 13, 2026
More Responsibilities, Same 24 Hours
In this episode, I look at one of the simplest realities behind teacher workload: there are still only 24 hours in a day. During my 24 years in…
Aug 12, 2026
Parent Expectations Have Changed
In this episode, I continue exploring the changing realities of teaching by looking at how parent expectations and family-teacher communication have changed during my 24 years in education.…
Aug 11, 2026
The Student Mental Health Crisis
In this episode, I look beneath some of the student behavior we discussed in the previous episode and explore the growing emotional and mental health needs teachers are…
Aug 10, 2026
Student Behavior Has Changed
In this episode, I begin week two of the series by talking honestly about something many veteran educators have noticed: student behavior has changed. I’m not saying kids…
Aug 9, 2026
Sunday School for Teachers: The Sower — Seeds You May Never See Grow
In this episode, I reflect on Jesus’ Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13 and what it means for educators. Jesus describes a farmer scattering seed onto different…
Aug 8, 2026
Saturday Stories Leadership Kit: Read Lots of Books — The Story That Changed It
In this Saturday Stories episode, I continue the Leadership Kit focus on imagination with the skill Read Lots of Books. Through the story The Story That Changed It,…
Aug 7, 2026
What Happens When Great Teachers Walk Away
In this episode, I wrap up the first week of the Teachers Are Not Broken series by asking what actually walks out the door when a great teacher…
Aug 6, 2026
Why This Isn’t Just a Teacher Problem
In this episode, I widen the conversation about teacher retention because I believe this crisis reaches far beyond teachers and schools. When a great educator leaves, the effects…
Aug 5, 2026
The Teacher Shortage: Symptoms vs. Causes
In this episode, I take a deeper look at what we commonly call the teacher shortage and ask whether the shortage itself is really the problem—or whether it…
Aug 4, 2026
Teacher Burnout vs. Moral Injury: Understanding the Difference
In this episode, I explore the difference between teacher burnout and moral injury, a concept that helped me better understand what many educators may be experiencing. I also…