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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60 episodes
Mar 6, 2026
When Meaning Carries You Forward
In this episode, I explore how meaning carries teachers forward through the ordinary rhythms of education. While great days in the classroom are energizing, most of the work…
Mar 5, 2026
When Teaching Feels Sacred Again
In this episode, I explore the moments in teaching that feel sacred again. Many days in education can feel routine and mechanical, filled with transitions, behavior redirection, and…
Mar 5, 2026
Freedom to Teach: Honoring Where You Teach
In this episode of the Freedom to Teach series, I reflect on attending the Bare Moon Powwow with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. The experience reminded me that…
Mar 4, 2026
Remembering Your Why Without the Cliché
In this episode, I take a fresh look at the phrase “remember your why.” Over time, it has become a slogan in education — repeated so often that…
Mar 3, 2026
The Magic That Still Shows Up
In this episode, I reflect on the quiet moments in classrooms that feel almost magical. Education often moves through routines, transitions, and procedures. But inside those ordinary moments,…
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 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 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…