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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31 episodes
Aug 12, 2026
Parent Expectations Have Changed
In this episode, I continue exploring the changing realities of teaching by looking at how parent expectations and family-teacher communication have changed during my 24 years in education.…
Jun 16, 2026
Mike Mattos: All In — Digging Deeper into Becoming a True Professional Learning Community
In this episode, I reflect on Mike Mattos's keynote presentation at a national education conference in Las Vegas. As one of the leading voices in the Professional Learning…
Jun 13, 2026
Saturday Stories Leadership Kit: Help Our Community — After School
In this Saturday Stories Leadership Kit episode, I continue our focus on the leadership value of helping others by introducing the skill of helping our community. Through the…
Mar 13, 2026
Why Kids Remember How We Made Them Feel
In this episode, I explore why students often remember how they were treated more than what they were taught. While academic content is important, the emotional experiences students…
Mar 12, 2026
The Ripple Effect of Being Human
In this episode, I build on the idea of teacher impact by focusing on something we often don’t fully recognize in the moment—the ripple effect. Teaching is not…
Mar 10, 2026
When Students Feel Seen
In this episode, I take a closer look at one of the most powerful ways teachers make a difference—helping students feel seen. While teaching often focuses on academics,…
Mar 9, 2026
The Difference a Teacher Can Make
In this episode, I explore the real difference a teacher can make in the lives of students. While academic outcomes like test scores and grades matter, some of…
Feb 6, 2026
Love Is Not Lowering the Bar
In this episode, I tackle a common misconception in education — that leading with love somehow means lowering expectations. That idea has shaped conversations in schools for years,…
Feb 4, 2026
Why Connection Is Not a Soft Skill
Too often, connection gets labeled as a soft skill, something extra that comes after the real academic work. In this episode, I challenge that assumption and argue that…
Feb 3, 2026
Kids Who Push Back Need Us Most
Pushback in the classroom can feel personal, especially when it happens publicly. In this episode, I unpack why the instinct to tighten control isn’t always the most effective…
Feb 2, 2026
Seeing the Child Before the Behavior
Behavior shows up in every classroom, but what matters most is the child underneath it. In this episode, I slow the conversation down and explore why behavior is…
Jan 29, 2026
Trust Is the Real Curriculum
In this episode, I unpack a truth that took me years to fully understand: you can have strong standards, engaging lessons, and well-designed curriculum, but without trust, it…