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
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 17, 2026
Sunday School for Teachers: Jesus Washes Feet — Servant Leadership
In this episode, I reflect on the powerful story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet during the Last Supper and what that moment teaches us about servant leadership.…
May 16, 2026
Saturday Stories — Leadership Kit: Recognize That Different Is Okay — Not the Same
In this episode, I focus on the importance of helping students understand that different is not wrong. Through this Leadership Kit story, I explore how students bring different…
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…
May 12, 2026
Rethinking Assessment in an AI World
In this episode, I reflect on how AI is pushing educators to rethink assessment and what it truly means to measure student understanding. I share a recent experience…
May 11, 2026
What Learning Looks Like Now
In this episode, I reflect on a classroom moment where a student clearly understood a science concept verbally but struggled to express that understanding in written form. That…