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
Feb 28, 2026
Saturday Stories Leadership Kit: Be Sunshine to Others — The Morning Shift
In this Saturday Stories Leadership Kit episode, I introduce the next layer of attitude: sometimes your response does not just affect you — it affects the entire room.…
Feb 27, 2026
Choosing Longevity Over Martyrdom
In this episode, I challenge the quiet narrative in education that exhaustion equals commitment. Martyr culture is subtle. It rewards staying late, saying yes, and absorbing everything. But…
Feb 26, 2026
Staying Soft in a Hard System
In this episode, I explore how educators can stay soft in a system that often feels hard. Education holds sacred moments of connection and breakthrough, yet it also…
Feb 25, 2026
Boundaries Are an Act of Leadership
In this episode, I unpack why boundaries are not defensive — they are directional. For years, I viewed boundaries as protection of time and energy. But I have…
Feb 24, 2026
You Can Care Without Carrying Everything
In this episode, I explore the critical distinction between caring and carrying. Teaching attracts people who care deeply — about students, growth, fairness, and outcomes. But over time,…
Feb 23, 2026
Protecting Your Energy
In this episode, I explore why protecting your energy may be one of the most important leadership habits teachers can develop. Educators are trained to give — instruction,…
Feb 22, 2026
Sunday School for Teachers: Daniel in the Lion’s Den — Courage in Public Spaces
In this Sunday School for Teachers episode, I reflect on Daniel in the Lion’s Den and what courage looks like for Christian educators serving in public spaces. Daniel’s…
Feb 22, 2026
Freedom to Teach: Autonomy on Ice
In this first official Freedom to Teach episode, I introduce a new lens for examining education through moments that won’t leave me alone. This series isn’t scheduled. It…
Feb 21, 2026
Saturday Stories — Leadership Kit: Choose Your Attitude, All the Time — The New Seat
In this Saturday Stories Leadership Kit episode, I introduce a new value: attitude. After building around listening and enthusiasm, we now move into something that shows up quickly…
Feb 20, 2026
Naming What’s Broken Without Losing Hope
In this episode, I explore how educators can honestly name what’s broken in education without losing hope. There are policies, systems, and expectations that create strain. Pretending everything…
Feb 19, 2026
What Teachers Are Actually Asking For
Sometimes the conversation around education gets loud. There are debates, policies, opinions, and constant commentary. But in the middle of all that noise, what teachers are asking for…
Feb 18, 2026
Compliance Is Not Engagement
In this episode, I unpack something that many educators feel but don’t always say out loud: a quiet classroom is not automatically an engaged classroom. Students who are…