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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54 episodes
May 28, 2026
Teaching When Change Is Mandated
In this episode, I reflect on the reality that change is one of the few guarantees in education. New initiatives, programs, expectations, assessments, and systems constantly emerge. Some…
May 27, 2026
Guarding Humanity in Policy Decisions
In this episode, I reflect on one of the ongoing tensions many educators experience between educational policy and classroom reality. Using state testing as an example, I discuss…
May 26, 2026
Why Relationships Resist Automation
In this episode, I reflect on working with a student who struggled with selective mutism and found speaking in front of others incredibly difficult. Progress did not happen…
May 25, 2026
When Systems Chase Efficiency
In this episode, I reflect on my experiences working within educational systems where pacing guides and curricular expectations became extremely tight. Grade-level teams were often expected to stay…
May 22, 2026
Why Students Still Need Adults
In this episode, I reflect on a student who needed daily check-ins that often had very little to do with academics. Those conversations were about encouragement, reassurance, perspective,…
May 21, 2026
Teaching Attention in a Distracted Age
In this episode, I reflect on how difficult sustained attention can be for students growing up in a world filled with constant stimulation. Music, videos, notifications, devices, multitasking,…
May 20, 2026
Protecting Curiosity
In this episode, I reflect on the power of curiosity and how differently learning feels when students are genuinely wondering, investigating, and trying to figure something out. I…
May 19, 2026
Digital Literacy Is Moral Literacy
In this episode, I reflect on why digital literacy has become about far more than simply knowing how to use technology. Through conversations with students, I have seen…
May 18, 2026
Helping Students Think about Technology
In this episode, I reflect on an important moment during student computer time when I noticed students using digital messaging systems to communicate hurtful comments toward each other.…
May 15, 2026
Designing for Thinking, Not Output
In this episode, I reflect on a growing tension in education where students often become more focused on finishing quickly than thinking deeply. During science inquiry activities and…
May 14, 2026
Teaching Integrity Explicitly
In this episode, I reflect on the importance of explicitly teaching integrity, citation, and responsible use of information in a digital world filled with instant access to content.…
May 13, 2026
Cheating or Signal
In this episode, I reflect on the growing conversation around cheating, AI misuse, and academic honesty in education. While some situations clearly involve dishonesty, I believe other situations…