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
Sep 16, 2025
How To Structure A Group Behavior Meeting With Parents And Staff
As Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve, I walk through how to structure a group behavior meeting with parents and staff in a way that lowers tension and builds…
Sep 15, 2025
What Really Inspires Students. It’s Not The Lesson Plans, It’s You
In this episode, I share why what truly inspires students goes far beyond lesson plans and pacing guides, as Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve. I reflect on how…
Sep 12, 2025
How Do You Provide Rigor While Still Keeping It Fun And Exciting For Students?
In this episode, I reflect as Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve on a question from an educator at a conference session: how do we provide rigor while still…
Sep 11, 2025
How Do We Keep It Fun? Why Joy Still Belongs In The Classroom
In this episode, I reflect as Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve on a question that was asked after my presentation at the National Teacher Leadership Conference about how…
Sep 10, 2025
Kids Are Watching: Modeling The Kind Of Grownups You Want Them To Become
In this episode, I reflect as Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve on the truth that kids are always watching us, and that our students learn as much from…
Sep 9, 2025
The Power Of Starting Over: New District, New Systems, Same Heart
In this episode, I reflect on the power of starting over as Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve, sharing what it has meant to begin again in a new…
Sep 8, 2025
You Don’t Have To Be Perfect, Just Present
In this episode, I explore the idea that teachers don’t need to be perfect to make a meaningful impact, only present, sharing this reflection as Mr. Funky Teacher,…
Sep 5, 2025
Teaching On Tough Days: How To Show Up When You’re Not Feeling A Hundred Percent
In this episode, I talk honestly about teaching on tough days and what it looks like to show up when you’re not feeling a hundred percent, sharing this…
Sep 4, 2025
Teaching Soft Skills: Preparing Students for Life Beyond the Classroom (with 10 Key Soft Skills for Career Success in 2026)
In this episode, I focus on teaching soft skills and why they matter so much for preparing students for life beyond the classroom, and I share this message…
Sep 3, 2025
Managing Risk And Teaching, Balancing Challenges And Safety
In this episode, I focus on managing risk in teaching and how balancing challenge and safety helps students grow, and I share why this idea matters so much…
Sep 2, 2025
Teacher Boundaries: How To Care Without Burning Out
In this episode, I focus on teacher boundaries and how to care without burning out, and I share why this matters so much to me as Mr. Funky…
Aug 29, 2025
The Human Side Of Teaching: Building Classroom Community By Putting Relationships Before Rigor
In this episode, I focus on the human side of teaching and why building classroom community by putting relationships before rigor matters more than anything else. As Mr.…