In this episode, I focus on the idea that responsibility is not just about intentions or words. It’s about action. Students often wait for the “right time” to begin something, but learning to move forward anyway is one of the most important habits they can develop.
I walk through this Leadership Kit story centered around Mateo, a student who kept putting off an assignment until the pressure finally became real. Instead of shutting down completely, he made the choice to start. That moment matters because responsibility is often built in imperfect moments where students decide to act instead of making another excuse.
This connects directly to what we see in classrooms every day. Students procrastinate, avoid difficult tasks, and sometimes convince themselves they have more time than they actually do. But when teachers consistently reinforce action, follow-through, and accountability, students begin developing confidence and ownership over their work.
At the end of the day, I believe leadership often starts with simple decisions. Starting now. Taking the first step. Choosing action over excuses. Students do not have to be perfect, but they do need to learn how to move forward, even when they do not feel fully ready.
Show Notes
Leadership Kit focus: responsibility
Skill: get it done
Action over excuses
Accountability and follow-through
Reflection and noticing questions
Building responsibility habits
Key Takeaways
Responsibility requires action
Excuses are easy but action matters
Starting is often the hardest step
Accountability helps students grow
Leadership means moving forward
Transcripts
Funky Teacher, Nicholas Kleve:
This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Welcome back everyone, to today's episode is called Saturday Stories. Leadership Kit.
Get it done. No excuses Left before we jump into today's story, I want to ground myself in gratitude. Here are three things that I'm thankful for.
The first thing that I'm thankful for is quiet focus. Those moments when you lock in and just get something done without distractions. Second thing that I'm thankful for, I'm thankful for accountability.
The kind that doesn't tear people down, but it helps them to rise to what they're capable of. And the third thing that I am thankful for is finishing things.
Because there's a different kind of confidence that comes from completing what you started. It's Saturday, which means it's time for another Saturday story from the Leadership Kit.
Over the past few weeks, we've been building responsibility, doing what you say, owning your choices. And now we bring it all together. Because responsibility isn't just about words. It's about actions. Let's get into the story.
This episode is part of the Leadership Kit. The value we're focusing on this week is responsibility. The skill students are practicing is get it Done.
And the story that you are about to hear is called no Excuses Left. The characters in this story are Aleeyah, Jaden, Sophia, Mateo, and Leo. Now I'm going to read the story all the way through with no interruptions.
I'm just going to have you listen and then we'll talk about it. No excuses. The assignment was due today. Mateo flipped through his folder. It's not here. Jaden looked up. What do you mean? I mean I didn't finish it.
Sophia paused. We've had all week. Mateo nodded. I know. Aaliyah looked at him. What happened? Mateo shrugged. I was going to do it yesterday? Leo asked. And before that?
Mateo sighed. I just kept putting it off. Jayden leaned back. So what now? Mateo stared at the desk. I don't know. The room felt quiet. Not awkward, just real.
Aleeyah spoke first. You've got time right now. Mateo looked at the clock. Not enough. Leo leaned forward. Enough to start, sophia added. Enough to get something done.
Jaden nodded. Better than nothing. Mateo looked at his group, then at his paper, then back at the clock. All right, he said. I'm doing it. He got to work. Focused.
No talking, no distractions. Just writing. A few minutes passed, then more. The bell hadn't even rung yet. Mateo sat back. It's not all the way done, he said. Aaliyah looked at it.
It's a lot more done than it was. Leo nodded. No excuses left. Mateo smiled slightly. Yeah, he said. No excuses. Sometimes responsibility shows up late. But it still shows up.
Well, that was the story there. Get it done. Responsibility isn't about waiting for the perfect time. It's about doing something now. Starting, finishing, following through. Excuses.
Well, they are easy. We know that excuses are easy. Action takes effort. And leadership shows up when you choose action.
Now that type of mindset, that type of understanding is important for us to teach to students, isn't it? It's so important.
And so when you take this story, when you take this story and you teach the lesson that's learned in this around responsibility, I encourage you to start with this type of reflection question. Have you ever put something off and then had to rush to finish it?
And then you get into some noticing questions such as, hey, what did Mateo do first? And then follow up with what helped him start. And then you can follow up with what changed once he began working.
And then as the week goes on with working with students, you can say something like, hey, why do people procrastinate? And what helps you get started when you don't think feel like it?
And then you can also ask students a question like, what's the difference between making excuses and taking action? So those are some great questions that you can bring in when you are working with students over the course of the week.
And then just ultimately, how do you use a story with students? This week is truly about action over excuses.
As the week goes on and you're working through the questions with students, you can also name name moments that you see with students like hey, you started, you got it done. Or or even say no excuses. Students, they. They often wait for the right time, don't they?
Students will do that sometimes they think that there is a right time. And in this story and, and these questions helps them to see that the right time is usually now.
And then just bringing in some of those noticing or those noticing statements like you started, you got it done and no excuses, just saying those and incorporating those into your day to day teaching, that really connects the story into that day to day teaching where it's just, it makes it more powerful, doesn't it? Where it's not just at a one time thing, a one time lesson and you move on, you're building it into your day to day teaching.
And so I, I want you to, to remember how important it is to, to, to build this type of responsibility into the students. That sometimes the right time is, is not later, not, not oh, not, not, not next week, but, but usually now.
And that that's sometimes hard to teach young people.
But it doesn't change the fact that it's so critically vital that we teach young people this type of thinking and this understanding nonetheless for their future success and their success now even.
Well, if you do want a printable version of this story with teacher questions and a student handout, you can use that you can actually take and use with students. You can find it at Be a Funky Teacher dot com. It's free for classroom use. As you head into the week, here's the leadership focus.
Excuses will always be there. So will distractions. So will reasons to wait. But leadership looks like this. You start anyway, you work anyway, you get it done.
It doesn't have to be perfect, but you gotta move forward and get it done.
Well, if you found value in this episode, head on over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast and hit me up with a five star review and let me know what you think that it helps more teachers to find this space. And as you go into your day, into your Saturday and into your week ahead, remember to inspire greatness in young people.
