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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49 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 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 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 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 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…
Jan 31, 2026
Saturday Stories — Leadership Kit: Excitement in Everything — Aaliyah Tries Again
This Saturday Story from the Leadership Kit focuses on enthusiasm and the skill of bringing excitement into everything. Through the story “Aaliyah Tries Again,” I explore how students…
Jan 24, 2026
Saturday Stories — Leadership Kit: Be Present and Focus — Sofia Looks Up
In this Saturday Stories episode, I introduce another story from the Leadership Kit focused on the value of listening to others and the skill of being present and…
Jan 17, 2026
Saturday Stories — Leadership Kit: Get Rid of Distractions — Jayden Puts It Down
In this Saturday Stories episode, I continue building shared leadership language through story. This week’s focus is listening to others, and the skill students are practicing is getting…
Jan 10, 2026
Saturday Stories Leadership Kit: Stop Interrupting — Aaliyah Notices
In this episode, I introduce a new Saturday series called Saturday Stories, a collection of short leadership stories designed for use with students. These stories are part of…
Dec 10, 2025
Consistency Over Noise: Why Real Teacher Leaders Don’t Need To Be Loud
In this episode, I talk about why consistency matters more than noise when it comes to teacher leadership and how real leadership is rooted in steady presence rather…
Nov 7, 2025
Intent Matters: Sharing Advocacy Without Losing The Mission
In this episode, I reflect on why intent matters when sharing advocacy. As Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve, I unpack how the way we tell our advocacy stories…
Nov 6, 2025
After The Testimony: What I Learned From Speaking Truth At The Capitol
In this episode, I reflect on what I learned after speaking truth at the Nebraska State Capitol. As Mr. Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve, I record from a quiet…