In this episode, I reflect on the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector and what it teaches about humility in leadership. This story challenges me to look beyond actions and really examine the posture of my heart.

I talk about how easy it is in education to drift into comparison—comparing classrooms, students, results, and even ourselves. Without realizing it, that can turn into pride or even insecurity, both of which pull us away from what really matters.

This parable reminds me that God is not focused on outward performance but on inward humility. The tax collector’s honesty and humility mattered more than the Pharisee’s outward righteousness, and that’s a powerful reminder for how I show up as a teacher.

At the end of the day, this is about staying grounded, staying real, and leading with humility. When I do that, I create space not only for my own growth but for my students to grow as well.

1. Sunday School for Teachers reflection
2. Luke 18:9–14 (Pharisee and tax collector)
3. Humility vs. comparison in teaching
4. Heart posture in leadership
5. Classroom culture and authenticity
6. Leading with honesty and grace

1. God values humility over outward performance
2. Comparison can lead to pride or insecurity
3. Heart posture matters more than appearance
4. Humility creates space for growth
5. Teachers set the tone through how they lead

In this Saturday Story, I share a Leadership Kit story focused on effort and what it means to keep trying. This week builds on the idea that effort isn’t always easy, and sometimes the hardest part is choosing not to quit.

I walk through the story “One More Rep,” where a student is ready to give up after repeated frustration but is encouraged to try just one more time. That small decision ends up making all the difference.

I also talk about how this connects directly to what we see in classrooms every day. Students often stop right before growth happens, and those moments are opportunities for us to step in, encourage, and help them push just a little further.

At the end of the day, this is about persistence—not pushing forever, but not stopping too soon. Sometimes growth is just one more try away, and that’s a message worth reinforcing with students every single day.

1. Leadership Kit: Effort
2. Skill focus: Keep trying
3. Story: One More Rep
4. Encouraging persistence in students
5. Reflection and discussion strategies
6. Connecting stories to classroom moments

1. Effort includes pushing through frustration
2. Students often stop right before growth
3. One more try can change the outcome
4. Persistence can be taught and reinforced
5. Small moments of encouragement matter

In this episode, I talk about the push toward speed in learning and why faster is not always better. It can feel productive when things move quickly, but I’ve been thinking a lot about how speed can create the illusion of understanding without real learning taking place.

I get into how real understanding actually takes time. It requires processing, reflection, and sometimes struggle. When students move too quickly, they can skip the thinking that leads to deeper learning, even if their work looks complete on the surface.

I also reflect on how students learn at different speeds and how that matters in the classroom. Some need more time, more support, and different approaches. That doesn’t mean they are behind—it means learning is happening in a way that works for them.

At the end of the day, the goal is not to move faster—it’s to go deeper. Our role is to protect that space for thinking, to slow things down when needed, and to help students build understanding that actually sticks.

1. Speed vs. understanding in learning
2. The illusion of fast answers
3. Why processing time matters
4. Productive struggle and growth
5. Different learning paces
6. Creating depth in the classroom

1. Speed does not equal understanding
2. Fast answers can hide shallow thinking
3. Real learning takes time and reflection
4. Students learn at different speeds
5. Depth matters more than completion