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 17, 2026
Burnout Is Not a Personal Failure
In this episode, I name something too many teachers carry quietly: burnout. The exhaustion, the emotional fatigue, the sense of being stretched thin. I say clearly that burnout…
Feb 16, 2026
When Systems Forget the Humans
In this episode, I reflect on the quiet tension that builds when systems begin to prioritize procedure over people. Schools need structure. They need consistency. But sometimes, gradually,…
Feb 15, 2026
Sunday School for Teachers: The Parable of the Talents — Faithful With What We’ve Been Given
In this Sunday School for Teachers episode, I reflect on the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 and what it means to be faithful with what we’ve…
Feb 14, 2026
Saturday Stories Leadership Kit: Share Your Enthusiasm — It Spreads
This week’s Saturday Story centers on a simple but powerful idea: enthusiasm spreads. I share a short student story called It Spread and unpack how one student’s quiet…
Feb 13, 2026
Staying True When It’s Easier Not To
In this episode, I reflect on what it means to stay true as a teacher when it would be easier not to. Teaching rarely challenges us with dramatic…
Feb 12, 2026
Courage Isn’t Loud
In this episode, I explore what courage really looks like in education. When most people think about courage, they picture bold declarations and dramatic moments. But in classrooms,…
Feb 11, 2026
Being Misunderstood as a Teacher
In this episode, I talk about what it feels like to be misunderstood as a teacher. At some point, if you lead with conviction and care deeply about…
Feb 10, 2026
When You Don’t Fit the System
In this episode, I talk about something many teachers feel but do not always say out loud — the experience of not quite fitting the system. Sometimes the…
Feb 9, 2026
Teaching Against the Grain
In this episode, I talk about what it really means to teach against the grain. At some point in your career, you quietly realize that the way you…
Feb 8, 2026
Sunday School for Teachers: The Fruit of the Spirit — Who We Are Before What We Do
In this Sunday School for Teachers episode, I reflect on Galatians 5 and the Fruit of the Spirit, focusing on who we are becoming before what we are…
Feb 7, 2026
Saturday Stories — Leadership Kit: Be Careful of Enthusiasm Destroyers — The Comment That Stuck
In this Saturday Stories episode, I introduce a Leadership Kit story focused on enthusiasm and the skill of being careful of enthusiasm destroyers. Through the story “The Comment…
Feb 6, 2026
Love Is Not Lowering the Bar
In this episode, I tackle a common misconception in education — that leading with love somehow means lowering expectations. That idea has shaped conversations in schools for years,…