January 22, 2025 • 50 mins
This episode explores the impactful journey of educator Kayla Marty, who emphasizes the integration of faith in education. Through her innovative approach at Ignite within Concordia Lutheran Schools, she shares insights on overcoming doubt, the importance of community in education, and how humility in leadership fosters growth.
• Kayla's story of faith and education
• Overcoming doubt and trusting in God's plan
• The importance of community support in education
• Changes in the education landscape and parental involvement
• Establishing Ignite and its innovative approach
• The significance of leadership and humility in education
• Encouragement for listeners to explore their own educational impact
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I am just super scared, like who.
You know, all the doubt, allthe worry, all the fear, all the
uncertainty, the obstacles aresteering me down and I just kind
of want out Right.
And you know my devotion thatday, like I'm like, just like
God, give me something like justto, to just soothe me, to just
(00:23):
remind me that you're, you'reloving and you're and and he
gave me the story of um.
Do you still not believe?
When they were, when, when thedisciples were, you know, going
through the storm and he hadbeen sleeping and stuff, and
they're like wake him up, jesus,jesus, help us.
Yeah, and he's like, do youstill not believe?
(00:45):
And it was just this reminder,that like if I looked back and
see all the steps he had linedup for this, like I had no
choice but to move forward.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Welcome to Tim Allman podcast.
I pray the joy of Jesus is yourstrength today and that you're
just in love with life.
I recently preached a messagecalled Life is Loss.
It certainly is.
That is the law.
But the gospel is life in JesusChrist.
Faith in him defeats ouroverwhelms, suffocates, stomps
out our loss, because Christ isrisen.
(01:21):
He's risen indeed, and it's agood day to be alive.
Today I get to hang out withKayla Marty.
Kayla and I are graduates ofConcordia, nebraska Go Bulldogs.
She's a 2005 graduate and shemarried one of my favorite
teammates from back in the day,matt Marty.
Shout out to Matt and hisamazing work in Lutheran schools
down through the years.
(01:42):
But today we're going to betalking about innovation in
education.
I'm going to let her tell alittle bit of her story.
She's an educator in the Omahaarea.
She recently received an awardwe were talking before and it's
kind of funny to talk aboutaward.
We don't do this for any kindof accolade, so it's kind of
silly, but nonetheless, thosewho labor are worthy of
(02:02):
recognition.
And she received theprestigious award of Nebraska
District LCMS All-ProfessionalChurch Workers Conference
Educator of the Year.
That's a mouthful in 2024.
So, kayla, this is going to bea great conversation today.
I've been looking forward to it.
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (02:19):
I'm really good.
Thank you so much for having meon, tim.
I always love talking education, so thanks for giving me the
opportunity and having thisconversation.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, no, this is going to be, this is going to be
fantastic.
So let's go back in your storya little bit.
Start there.
We need more Now.
Everybody, if you're baptized,you're a you're a church worker,
you're part of the church, andso sometimes I bristle at
professional church workers.
We're all because we're inChrist.
We're all working to expand thekingdom of God and all of our
(02:49):
various vocations.
Nonetheless, that being said,we need more pastors,
administrators, directors ofChristian education.
We need more educators for ourwonderful, wonderful Lutheran
school.
So tell me kind of when youknew you wanted to be a teacher.
Kayla, tell that story.
Yeah, you know what.
Tell me kind of when you knewyou wanted to be a teacher.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Kayla, tell that story.
Yeah, you know what I?
To be honest, I think I mostwanted to be a mom and you know
my mom was a teacher.
I like the schedules, that kindof line up with being a mom and
having time with your family.
My brother also went intoeducation.
I have some uncles anddifferent things that were also
(03:26):
in education, so it just kind ofwas a natural fit.
I guess I was really fortunategrowing up because my parents
were incredible and my dad was afarmer and he had this thing
where he just always kind ofsaid, like I make some money so
that Vicky can do the importantthings.
(03:48):
So because of that, I mean, mydad is one of the smartest,
wisest, most generous peopleI've ever met in my life.
So because of that, likedegrees and you know prestige
titles, even amount of money youmake, like that's never been a
driving force for me.
Um, but you know to work hard,to um, you know be generous, to
(04:14):
use what God has given you.
You know you and that's youknow it's just kind of
step-by-step.
God has led me to this placeand it's it's all him, it is all
him.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Well, don't you feel like cause my?
My family story is similar.
Just a good, a good home.
We stand on the shoulders.
I think our today, in the hyperindividualized Western American
consumeristic culture, we wemiss gratitude for not just
maybe our parents, but like ourgrandparents and those who have
(04:49):
come before, who have passed onthe faith.
That's right.
That's what I hear in yourstory.
It's just like a recognition.
You kind of won the spiritualglobal lottery by being born in
your family, and so you justwant to steward that.
Well, say more yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and I well, I think I used to be kind of
jealous, if I'm honest, ofpeople who had that kind of like
, you know, very pointed come toJesus moment, like, oh, I
wonder what it was like to notknow Jesus and then know Jesus,
like what, what?
That must be awesome.
And yet, you know, as I'vegotten older, I have appreciated
(05:22):
exactly what you're speaking toJust this deep appreciation for
the generations that have beenfaithful before me and brought
me, you know, to this point,taught me the things I know to
be able to serve in this way.
And so, yeah, it's moved fromalmost like, oh, I wish I had
(05:43):
something else, just to like,wow, like this is incredible,
humbling, very humbling.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
This higher call and as Lutherans, we don't.
We don't like worship thesaints or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
We worship Jesus, but there is a cloud of there is a
cloud of witnesses right, thatis before us.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
That's worshiping the throne of Jesus, anticipating
resurrection day, and we'recalled to work while it is day
and I want to steward this onelife that he's given me very,
very well.
That's a driving.
Why?
All for the glory of God, notfor the glory of.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Kayla or Tim or who really cares.
Right, we're going to beforgotten in time.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
But the mission of Jesus will continue and we just
want to steward these days well,especially passing on the faith
to the next, to the nextgeneration.
Really, as a mom I don't knowthat I've you're an educator,
like dads are obviouslyeducators, but from the young,
tell the story of like you took10 years to to raise your kids
outside of the classroom Right.
Tell a little bit of that storyand then, getting back into the
(06:41):
classroom, yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
I did like.
One of my biggest callings onmy life, I think, is to be a mom
and I'm so blessed to do that.
I have three kids Micah, caleb,karis.
Eighth, sixth, fourth, they are, you know, like what else is
there?
You know, like to be able to,like you're talking about, pass
on the faith.
Make sure you're taking thetime, be able to, like you're
(07:04):
talking about, pass on the faith.
Make sure you're taking thetime and energy to pour into
your family.
So I did.
I stayed home.
I was a teacher prior tostaying home.
I was a teacher.
I even got my admin degree butthen decided to put that on hold
to stay home and raise my kidsfor 10 years.
Super blessed.
(07:25):
You mentioned Matt earlier.
You played football with him,100% supportive husband.
So thankful for that.
Because it is a risk, right, andour culture says that we can't
do it, it doesn't make sense.
And we did it.
And you know some people say,well, it's nice if, if you have
the opportunity to do that, andyou know finances didn't really
(07:48):
look like we had the opportunityto do that, but we did it
anyways because we just thoughtit was that important and there
is zero regret for that decision.
You know professionally.
Some could argue that you know,maybe my life would look
different.
I don't care, I don't regret.
You know what I mean.
Like that, you know, maybe mylife would look different.
I don't care, I don't regret.
You know what I mean.
(08:08):
Like that, you know I love mykids, I'm so proud of them and
and I'm you know we're right,where we're supposed to be.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
There's nothing more holy than passing on the faith
that be fruitful and multiply,have children and let them know
about the love of Jesus.
So well done, Well done, Kayla.
Let's get into education Kindof a broad high level question.
How has the landscape ofeducation changed since you and
I were going through school?
(08:36):
How does it look different?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, I think there was just kind of this acceptance
of kind of the way things aredone, and if an expert says
something, we just kind ofbelieve it, and if they say they
have research to prove it, thenwe go with it and and just kind
of like a you know sheepmentality in some ways, I would
(08:59):
say.
I would say, when we weregrowing up, homes, homeschool or
kind of different models ofeducation were kind of thought
of more negatively Like, andmaybe one of the reasons that I
(09:27):
wouldn't send my kids to schoolis because of the socialization
they're going to get at school,and so I think that argument has
only, you know, has kind offlipped.
But in a way I think parentsare taking a little more
responsibility for their kids'education, thinking a little bit
more critically about what theywant and open to new ideas.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yeah, for sure I was.
Were you homeschooled at all?
I don't know any.
No, I wasn't.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And I never anticipated that, but I did
homeschool for a little bitbrief moment, so we'll get into
that, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, yeah, for sure I was homeschooled from little
bit brief moment.
So we'll get into that, I'msure.
Yeah, yeah, for sure I was.
I was homeschooled from fourththrough ninth grade and I always
kind of laugh if I say that inlike in a sermon or something
that explains a lot, you know.
But I had just a fantasticexperience, a small little and I
guess cause we're going to getinto your model right now it was
kind of a mixed age classroomlearning experience.
(10:27):
It was a little co-op.
I don't tell this story too much, but El Paso, texas, there were
no Christian schools, noLutheran schools.
Actually, there was a Christianschool, but it was like 30
minutes away on the other sideof town, and so a whole bunch of
moms, dads got together andsaid, hey, every, I think it was
Monday, wednesday and Fridaywe're going to get together for
like a three hour block and moms, you know, have specialties in
(10:49):
math or history.
My mom taught the history classand I didn't.
I didn't think it was weird atall, like there was probably 70
kids.
It was like a micro school,about 70 kids from kindergarten
through high school, and we hada funny little story.
There were a handful of athletesand dad's a pastor of a small
(11:09):
Lutheran church in El Paso, ahandful of athletes and my dad
being into sports and things, hegoes hey, tim, do you think we
could start a Christian athleticprogram?
And no joke.
Before we moved to Denver and Iwent to my parents' alma mater,
lutheran High in Denver, Iplayed football six-man football
(11:31):
first time I'd ever playedfootball and then basketball
with a whole bunch of homeschoolkids.
It was fantastic.
My freshman year of high schoolit was not weird at all, but
looking back, it was aninnovative model, an innovative
approach Anything more to saytoward homeschooling like this
shift now.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
No, I think, you know , I think we just have to
remember as parents that like,ultimately we are responsible
for our own kids and theireducation.
I think sometimes we like justkind of like hand that off to
the school or to the teachers,and I think we just need to kind
of pause and say no, actuallythat's my responsibility as the
(12:05):
parent and obviously I get toinvite people on that journey.
You know, as we choose a school, as we choose a co-op, as we
choose different things, but youknow we don't have to just kind
of pass that off as well.
That's not my responsibility,it is absolutely our
responsibility.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
So thank you, mom, and I know your kids, kayla, are
going to say the exact same asthey look back.
So tell us the story ofConcordia Lutheran Schools in
Omaha and how you started andare sustaining Ignite.
Kind of you said before we hit,play a school within a school.
Tell that story.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yeah.
So I just want to preface thisall that, as I'm talking like I
just want to be really pointedthat this is God's story.
This is I mean, I'm humbledthat he has used me, you know,
to, you know, do some stuff, butI don't take the credit.
If it would have been KaylaMarty in charge of this, it
(13:03):
would have failed really quickly.
So he put a calling on my heart.
There were at times I waskicking and screaming I don't
know if I want to do this.
I don't think I'm qualified.
I don't know that I'm theexpert in this area.
Like, who am I to think thatthis is going to work?
And what are other people goingto think?
Like, I don't like think I'mbetter than anybody else.
(13:26):
I just I want something alittle different for my kids.
So I just want to be really,really pointed that if you saw
my journals, if you saw, youknow if you could hear the
conversations that I had withmentors along the way.
This is, this is God's storyand I'm humbled to be a part of
it.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
I just got to pause on that.
That is the exact rightapproach to anything new
Humility I don't really knowwhat I'm doing.
I wrote a blog recently on theidol of certainty.
We got to have it all figuredout and that cripp, that
cripples us, it leads us.
There's this right approachhumility, team courage.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Let's go, let's try it.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
God, you got to move, you got to lead, you got to be
out in front of this Cause Icould get in the way.
And so I just hear and I justwant to affirm anytime you're
entering into a new venture,humility better win the day.
Because when humility is there,learning is there, an openness
to other people's perspectivesas the strategy needs to adjust
as we start to move.
Like that is the exact rightapproach.
(14:32):
A certain element Now there'stoo much of this but a certain
element of imposter syndrome Ithink needs to be there anytime
we take on a new venture.
Anything more to say to that,kayla?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
No, I think, you know , I think that we just got to be
really understanding, even froma biblical perspective.
You know, anytime that God wasfighting with those Israelites
as they were going into battle,anytime he was fighting with
them, like it, it really didn'tdepend on them, it was dependent
on God.
And you know, the same thing istrue in our lives.
(15:06):
If, if he's going to movesomething forward, it's going to
move forward despite us, um,and if, if he's not fighting
with us, guess what else isgoing to happen?
It's going to be very clearthat that's not a battle we're
supposed to be fighting.
And so, um, just to keep thatperspective in mind, but to also
(15:27):
be ready for doors to close too, because I think sometimes we
hold on to our ideas andconcepts too tightly and we have
to be able to step away and saythat's God's, he can do with it
what he wants, and and, and youjust got to give it up to him.
Absolutely, um, we cannot beconnect our identity.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It's all identity.
Right.
Our identity can't be connectedto our work, our new ideas.
Uh, because if it you're goingto hold on too tightly when your
ideas, in Christ, there's thiskind of okay, we're going to try
something, we're going to shrugour shoulders.
It wasn't a hundred.
Nothing's ever a hundredpercent you know, kayla, let's
just be honest.
Anytime we head into somethingor we're trying to sustain
(16:14):
something, we're all just makingit up Like there's no blueprint
, there's no roadmap per se,like this is just we're
following Jesus and there's justtrust, there's faith.
God, this is yours and help meto steward my life in this
season, this ministry role, thisinfluence, very, very well.
So that's a great preface.
(16:35):
With that preface being said,tell the Concordia story and the
Ignite story.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Absolutely Okay.
So prior to being here in Omaha, we're in Omaha right now at
Concordia Lutheran Schools ofOmaha.
But prior to this, our laststep, last stop, was in Las
Vegas, nevada.
My husband was teaching atFaith Las Vegas Awesome
opportunity.
He led the strength andconditioning there.
He really got that programgoing.
(17:02):
Super proud of him.
You know, it's also interestingI was still homeschooling at
that time and but Christianeducation out there is a
different beast.
It's really expensive, to becompletely honest, and it's a
different model than we're usedto in the Midwest, because out
there the school district is sopoor, so bad, that everyone is
(17:30):
trying to get into privateschools.
And so because of that,honestly, the model is the
schools help sustain the church,rather than we're used to in
the Midwest, the churcheshelping to support the schools.
So it's a completely differentmodel and because of that the
schools are quite expensive andwe, you know, we love Christian
(17:52):
education, we are 100% behindthat.
And so we sent our oldest,micah to kindergarten and first
grade in a Lutheran school andthen we got to like looking at
sending another and we were likeI don't know that we're going
to be like good stewards of ourmoney doing this anymore, you
know.
And they're like Kayla, we'llhire you, we'll give you a job,
(18:12):
just come back, it'll be easier.
And I was like I'm stillcommitted to raising my kids
while they're at home, and so itwas like I guess we're going to
homeschool.
That is nothing I dreamed about, that's nothing I, you know,
planned for it, just it's whatwas before me.
And there was a clear shiftthere, right, because you know
(18:34):
you go to be a teacher and youlearn how to be a teacher and
how you experience schoolgrowing up.
But all of a sudden there wasthis big shift from just like,
okay, how do I manage aclassroom, how do I teach?
Now there was this huge focus,but how do I want my kids to
learn?
(18:55):
Which was huge, wasastronomical in so many ways.
So, all of a sudden, all thosemethods you hear about in school
, we're back on the tableMontessori, classical, charlotte
Mason, unschooling, you know,regular kind of school, like
everything was back on the onthe table, you know.
And another thing I was seeingis these incredible,
(19:16):
valedictorian, super capable,academic kids coming out of like
high school and like what doyou mean?
You don't know how to fill outthis form.
Like you can't like like youcan read the directions and
figure this out right, and youknow, there's almost this, this
hesitancy, this like thisfrozenness that unless somebody
(19:39):
tells me exactly what to do, Iam incapable of figuring things
out.
And I just wanted nothing to dowith that.
You know, I grew up on a farm.
You learn through experience.
You jerry-rig things and figureit out, you know, and I wanted
to make sure my kids knew thatthey didn't have to wait for
(20:00):
directions, wait for somethingto be able to start it, and so,
anyways, with all that, alongthat same time it came across
this, this movement of microschools, and kind of got really
curious.
So, yes, I was planning tohomeschool my own kids and I did
, but then alongside I'm likeliterally got like spreadsheets
(20:22):
and all this stuff going in thebackground, like what would it
look like if I did this for morekids?
What would it look like if Ihad a whole classroom of this?
And ironically, you know sowe're living in Las Vegas.
Ironically, phoenix comes intoplay, because I was at best
practices and kind of liketalking to some people in Las
Vegas about like what would thislook like?
And I thought it was like theperfect location.
(20:45):
I certainly wasn't pushing, Iwasn't even a teacher at a
school, but I was like wouldn'tthis be exciting, like to have
some personalized learning.
You know, people would pay apremium in Las Vegas for sure
for this.
And nothing was broken, nothingneeded fixing, and so it was
just kind of like huh, that'sinteresting, and you know, and
(21:06):
that's where it stood, it's fine, no worries, and I certainly
was not forceful, just kind ofsharing, sharing some, some
ideas.
Anyways, fast forward.
Matt gets a call to Concordia,omaha, here, and one of the
questions when he wasinterviewing was is it okay if
we homeschool our kids?
And Rob Cooksey was the head ofschools at the time and he was
(21:32):
just confused more than anything.
Like Kayla, I'll hire you, likeyou can have a job, like I've
already tried to get you, youknow, to be a teacher on my
staff before.
Like let's just fix this, whyare you wanting to homeschool?
And kind of told him about someof my musings and some of the
things going on in thebackground and like I don't know
(21:52):
if I could do school.
You know the way school'susually done anymore and you
know this is all just God'stiming, because at the same time
they had just a couple classesthat were a little over capacity
, creating some discomfort forsome parents and thus for the
administration, and they hadmaybe tried a combined classroom
(22:13):
, but it was more out of needthan opportunity.
And you know, my idea wascompletely different, and so
they said, let's try it, and wewent.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
So that's the start of Ignite.
So what did you propose?
Speaker 1 (22:31):
So basically we started as a two to five, one
classroom.
We were full that first year of18 kids.
It's insane when I think aboutit.
Two of my own kids were in thatsetting.
But yeah, two to five, all inone classroom.
It was a sweet, beautiful yearwith lots of stress.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I imagine, and you're organizing everything.
You're kind of in, yeah, yep.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yep, this was.
I mean, I had super, you know,rob, you know, gave me the legs
to.
You know, in the, in the, the,you know, the space to be able
to dream and do this.
Uh, nate Domch was the AcademyPrince, is the Academy principal
.
Without his support, um, thiswould have gone nowhere, I mean.
So, you know, without that, youknow, this would have been just
(23:25):
dead in the water, you know.
But Nate even put his son inIgnite, showing that he was
willing to take a risk as well.
And, yeah, it's just beenreally fun.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
So let's get a little bit more detailed.
I mean, what does the day looklike in a mixed class?
I mean, how do you manageeducation for kids at such
different stages of learning?
It's wonderful, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
You know, so kind of one of the things that makes us
most unique, and I always, youknow like, people ask like is
this Montessori, is thisclassical?
It is eclectic, it is a mixtureof a whole bunch of ideas.
One thing that feels a littleMontessori-ish is for that
second through fifth grade level, we have two hours in our day
(24:10):
which we call power hour.
So kids are working on allsorts of different things.
They have a learning menu, likebasically checklists or lists
that they create of things thatthey need to do for that week.
But and we have small pulloutlessons during that time for
grammar, for reading, for math,but not everyone's working on
(24:32):
the same thing at the same time,so they have things that they
need to finish.
But there is, you know, youwalk in and they all might be
working on different things.
So it's, it's a little bitdifferent.
That's what we call our powerhour.
So, yeah, cursive, grammar,math, all sorts of stuff are
getting accomplished during thatpower hour.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Love it and a lot of independent learning.
It sounds like.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, and we have the opportunity to set goals with
students for different things.
So that's a weekly activitysetting goals and and some of
the lessons they're working on,um, we, you know there's also um
the ability.
Now I have found I thought andmaybe this is just more my
personality, but I thought everysingle student was going to
(25:20):
want to like work independentlyon their own thing at their own
time.
I have found over the yearsmost kids actually prefer to
work in a cohort and do bestwith that kind of accountability
.
So we have kind of both and youknow we have, I would say,
probably 80% of our kids kind ofland in a cohort and are kind
(25:41):
of happy to move along, you know, through math, through grammar,
through different things, witha group of people learning in
that style.
But we also have about 20% ofour class that are what I call
working rogue.
You know through math, throughgrammar, through you know
different things, and they havethe opportunity to do that, to
(26:03):
move at a pace where, where thatexcites them, that gets them
excited about learning, thatpushes them, that gives them a
sense of, of, you know,accomplishment and purpose.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
So yeah, so from a one other question, before I get
even more detailed is there sixthrough eight?
Is that, is that also an ignite, or is it just two to five?
Good?
Speaker 1 (26:27):
question right now.
So, yeah, this is somethingkind of dear to my heart.
We haven't moved it up yetcompletely and who knows what
that will look like.
It's God's to work with.
We did explore that.
Even for my own kids.
I didn't know if aself-contained classroom at that
age level, where there's somuch comparison, so much you
(26:51):
know just social stuff too, Iwasn't convinced that it was
completely healthy.
But what we have done is one ofthe things you know.
I talked about power hour,another thing that makes us
unique as we use badges to learnkind of objective material.
So you know showing masteryover states, capitals, you know
(27:11):
different subject areas, history, timelines, you know hitting
different genres, memorizingbooks of the Bible, or you know
different things like that.
We have badges to kind of showmastery in certain content areas
and so what we have done lastsummer my project was to create
a badge system for middleschoolers.
These are going to be, you knowand again my own kids are in
(27:35):
there but areas in likeleadership, like attending a
leadership seminar, maybelistening to 10 Tim Ullman
podcasts, you know, onleadership or others.
But you know some.
There's some financial badges,like doing a savings project or
creating a business there's,there's job shadows.
(27:57):
So we have kind of this, we'recalling that activate, so we can
now activate, but we're we'vecreated some optional badges for
all middle schoolers.
You know that they have accessto.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
When I hear the word badges, all I have in my head
since I was a young kid and it'sa movie.
I don't even know what themovie is Kayla Badges.
We don't need no stinkingbadges, I have no idea where
that quote comes from.
You could Google it.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Look it up.
I cannot help you out.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
People need badges.
People need actually no reward.
Like appropriate I work welldone, I'm working toward a goal
and then I'm recognized.
There's a lot on the habit loop.
You have to have some sort of areward, the habit loop, you
know you have to have some sortof a reward.
And maybe in educationsometimes there's not enough
reward and the cycle of rewardsI just hear you affirming and we
(28:47):
need incremental stages indevelopment and are those that
are in authority over us oureducators, parents, et cetera
seeing it and reinforcing greatbehavior.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
So badges are helpful .
Yeah, absolutely, andironically, and ironically, I am
going to do um, I don't knowwhen this will be published, but
uh, at best practices.
In just a few weeks I'll we'llbe doing a presentation on
badges for for the.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
This will be out before, before best practices.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
So okay, there you go .
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Down down in Phoenix.
Uh, so good.
So, um, for those who arewondering, is there intention
around starting in seconds,Because I'm thinking
developmental stages of an 8 to11-year-old boy or girl?
Is there great data?
I guess it says that's probablya sweet time for mixed
classroom learning, Because Iaffirm that the 6 through 8, the
(29:37):
adolescent years there's somuch comparison and maybe
working together in mixed agecohorts could be dysfunctional.
I think it could work, but itmay be harder in that
developmental season.
So say more about the eight to11 year range for learning.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
I don't have any specific data.
I mean, god was gracious to me.
I thought I was going to openthis up K to five because that
was like the ages of my own kidsand I had caught taught my own
kids to read and so I was like,yeah, let's do this.
It was by the grace of God.
He knew that that was probablytoo much to handle.
So really all the interest wasin grades two to five, with the
(30:12):
exception of my own kid who wasalready reading, so he was ready
to go as a first grader, inkind of that second grade.
You know level.
But you know.
So we had this two to fivecohort.
We grew, we added anotherteacher for that two to five
cohort, so now we're up to, likeyou know, 36 kids in that
(30:32):
cohort but we'd split.
You know, for history we'dsplit for different things, for
writing, for science, all thosestuff.
But then you know, the schoolwanted to grow again.
So then we added that K-1 pieceand I think you know that was
that was wise, that we did it inthat way, because there is just
so much intentional, you knowcontent that needs to go to
(30:56):
teaching someone.
You know conceptualizingnumbers and math, and then also,
you know, beginning to read,and we have some great pieces in
place for that and we're reallyproud of that.
But I think it was just by thegrace of God that he spared me
from that at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah, no, that's good .
There's educators, I assume,administrators, pastors, who get
to be a part of Lutheranschools, listening, what are the
primary indicators?
Now, every story is unique,every context is unique.
So, taking that into account,what words of wisdom would you
give to an administrator orleader as a primary indicator
that a micro school may work intheir school context?
Speaker 1 (31:39):
I mean, people have to be passionate about education
.
Right, christian education iswhat I'm going for.
I don't know that any.
I mean, every single year I'vetaught, I've told my kids, you
know, I hope you learn math, Ihope you learn English, like all
the stuff.
But what I really hope is thatyou learn more about the God,
(31:59):
who loves you, who created you,who has a purpose for your life.
And so there's got to beindividuals who are just
passionate about getting thegospel into the hearts and minds
of young people in theircommunity.
I would also say there's got tobe someone who's able to put
(32:20):
some time and energy into this,like it's you know it's it's
entrepreneurial in the sensethat, like, like you're starting
something new and like CraigRochelle talks about like
anytime you're trying to buildmomentum, like it's really hard
at the beginning.
Yeah, totally.
And so who's going to have?
(32:40):
Who believes in this, who hasthe heart for this?
But who's going to?
You know, I grew up with twoparents.
You know my dad, like he wasn'ta 40 hour a week guy, and my
mom, she was a.
She started preschool.
She was entrepreneurial in herown.
Both my parents were lookingback in a way.
She started preschools in allsorts of little Lutheran
(33:01):
churches around the area, andnone of them, neither of my
parents, had kind of this like,well, now's my time to sit back
and just, you know, have me time.
You know, and and I think we'vein some ways, you know, we've
gotten to the point where wethink we deserve so much, I
don't know relaxation, comfort,I don't know, and there's a
(33:25):
balance, because I'm probablytoo far on that spectrum.
I'm a grinder, I will admitthat, but you know, I don't know
.
I think you need somebodywilling to grind, willing to go
above and beyond, and here's thething, though, is they're not
going to get, maybe get, thesame rewards that an
entrepreneur starting their ownbusiness would get.
(33:47):
You know there's not like thisbig.
You know you're not going togrow a business that eventually,
you're going to, you know, bemaking lots of money, and you
know life is easy, you know soit's, it's, I don't know.
Finding the right person tohelp out this with this can can
be challenging.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Well, it's all about leadership.
It's having the right personwith the, with the right posture
of humility and the right senseof of build, measure, learn
mentality, kind of lean, startupmentality.
That's what I hear you saying.
We're going to build something,we're going to measure how
effective or not it is and thenwe're going to adapt.
Um, adaptive leadership.
(34:27):
There's a lot, there's a lot ofwork.
Um, and Vanessa Seifert, who'sin your district on, if you know
Vanessa, right, kayla, I meanit's she's the adaptive
leadership guru.
And how well I stay in the gamewhen it, when inevitably
sabotage, you know, lies fromthe evil one or lies from others
.
You know, human beings are kindof.
(34:47):
We love to like, take, takeeach other down and build up.
All of these reasons why wecan't do it.
I just know our God is a God ofabundance and he's like yeah,
go, you're my kid and you'resafe, you're going to be all
right.
So go and take the appropriaterisk.
And there is a level of risk inyour story.
I hear you're grounded in yourfamily.
(35:07):
Obviously, matt's awesome, he'san awesome spouse, so you're
safe there.
Your kids are in this season.
I want to care for them, butmaybe, in caring for them while
I can care for some others, andthen you were supported by
administration.
If all of those things are kindof aligned as a leader looking
to try something new, go runLike I'm in a context right now
(35:28):
which is so fun so fun Because,well, sometimes you got to say
no for financial or whateverLike we try things here and not
all of them work right, butwe're going to keep trying.
We're going to keep trying, allfor the ultimate purpose of
bringing the gospel to as manyyoung and old people as possible
the working poor, the homeless.
You know, tonight I get topreach at La Mesa.
(35:48):
We keep grinding.
That ministry has been going onnow for over a decade People
showing up every Tuesday, everyThursday, bringing a meal and
worship to people who normallywouldn't be welcomed in a lot of
our context.
But it all has to do with avisionary leader willing to work
.
Willing to work, and that's whoyou are.
How did you handle, though?
(36:09):
I mean, you started out talkingabout humility.
How did you process fear andrisk?
What did that look like,especially in the early stages
of Ignite Kayla?
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Oh, definitely.
I mean, there were so manymoments, tim, where I was like
am I going to mess these kids up?
Like how do these parents trustme?
Like who am I to start thisAgain?
You know I mentioned journalsand conversations with mentors
and you know, but like that wassuch a sweet time.
(36:41):
I've never felt closer to Godthan than during that really
hard season, and you know he was.
There were moments where he was,he spoke very gently to me and
was patient with me.
There's other times I there'sthis one, one story I have.
So it was the day that I wasgoing to go talk to parents and
(37:04):
introduce this idea for the veryfirst time.
Right, and I am just superscared, like you know.
All the doubt, all the worry,all the fear, all the
uncertainty, the obstacles aresteering me down and I just kind
of want out Right.
The obstacles are steering medown and I just kind of want out
Right.
And you know my devotion.
That day, like I'm like, justlike God, give me something,
(37:26):
like just to, to just soothe me.
When, when the disciples were,you know, going through the
(37:47):
storm and he had been sleepingand stuff, and they're like wake
him up, jesus, jesus, help us.
Yeah, and he's like do youstill not believe?
And it was just this reminderthat like, if I looked back and
see all the steps he had linedup for this, like I had no
choice but to move forward.
But it was.
It was not this, you know, itwas like this disciplining dad
(38:08):
like get over it, like go, likeI'm not gonna you don't need any
more comfort.
You don't need any more pityparties, Just move and so so you
know there's, there's been all,all sides of it.
Um, yeah, it's, it's been ajourney for sure.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Jesus bats a thousand .
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Kayla, he's so gives us right what we need when we
need it full with lawn gospel atthe at the right times.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
Uh, so so good.
Um, kind of kind of broached ita little bit of a topic.
I think I'd like to, as we'recoming down the homestretch,
hang here Receiving toughfeedback, like when things don't
go as planned, which they neverwill go perfectly as planned
because sinful humans areconnected to it.
But I can imagine you've had,and probably continue to have,
(39:02):
conversations with parents whodon't get it, who their kid has
struggled for one reason oranother, because I'm sure
there's no perfect model, right?
I mean there's just stayingconnected and loving kids and
doing what we believe is intheir best interest.
How do you handle parentfeedback that's less than
favorable?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
You know, I think it goes back to your identity
comment.
You know, god sees my motives,god sees my heart.
And am I the perfect teacher?
No.
Do we have the perfectcurriculum?
No.
Is there a perfect student?
No, and yet God can continue towork.
So I think, keeping that inperspective, also with humility,
(39:48):
you know just kind of, you knowaccepting those moments of you
know, not everyone's going toget it, not everyone needs to
get it, you know, at the sametime or ever, but trusting that
God knows our hearts, god knowsour motives and when we are
(40:09):
About, with all sincerity,trying to make his name great
and not our own name Great, Ithink we do have that freedom
that you're talking about.
So so it's OK if not everyonegets it.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
Yeah, yeah, let's.
Let's close talking aboutculture and the people that are
on your team right now.
So how many give someperspective?
How many people do you kind ofoversee right now on your team
and ignite?
Speaker 1 (40:41):
So in addition to me there's three other teachers, so
there's four of us total.
But we have some other aides inaddition to that that are near
full time or, you know,significant in what we're doing.
So probably double that, butyou know we.
There's a book, the Other Halfof Church.
I don't know if you've everread it.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right and left brain stuff
.
Oh yeah, I've referred to thema lot.
It's great, yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Love, love.
All that, and that was kind ofa diving board for us to really
look at identity statements.
We created some identitystatements from that and
actually the kids were a part ofthat, helping us like when
we're our best selves.
We're never going to be perfect, but when we're our best selves
, what do we look like in Ignite, you know?
(41:28):
And so all the kids hadfeedback on that and from there
we kind of landed on you know,we are people who seek God, we
rely on God.
We, you know, give thanks toGod.
We also love others.
We put others before ourselves.
You know the two commandmentsare love God, love others.
(41:50):
There's not a love yourself.
Last, and I'm not dismissingthe need to take care of
yourself, but we we do that.
Naturally our sinful nature,you know, we'll always look out
for yourself and so so, keepingthat in mind, the other three we
landed on taking risks, findingjoy, doing hard things.
(42:12):
You know those are a part ofour culture, but we ask that our
staff, you know, buy into thosethings as well.
You know we have lots of sharedlanguage within our Ignite
program.
You know we talk about being ona champion's journey.
We're champions not because ofwhat we've done, but because of
(42:32):
what Christ has done for us.
But because of that not becauseof what we've done, but because
of what Christ has done for us,but because of that we are
champions in the end, no matterwhat, what obstacles, what
sickness, what you know, evendeath itself, like, we win in
the end.
So so you know, we will haveobstacles, we will have trials,
so that's language we lean into.
We talk about eating frogs.
There's a Mark Twain quote thatsays if you have to eat a frog,
(42:54):
eat it first thing in themorning, and if you have two
frogs, eat the bigger one first.
So you know, we talk a lotabout eating frogs, doing things
we don't necessarily want to do, getting them done right away.
We talk about fighting ants,automatic negative thoughts kind
of coined by Dr Amen out of or,yeah, amen, I believe out of
(43:18):
California.
So those automatic negativethoughts, fighting them,
especially with gratitude.
So you know, and doing hardthings, hitting those deadlines,
just doing things that don'tseem fun, that aren't
comfortable, but they'reimportant.
And so we just have a lot ofshared language and you know I
kind of see my role in a lot ofways as like a chief reminding
(43:41):
officer, not only to you know,our staff, but our students, you
know, continually bringing usback to some of those key points
and identity statements.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Kayla, you're a great leader by the grace of God, I'm
serious.
I like nails.
I'm taking notes.
You're reminding me of things Iforget more than I know.
You are reminding me.
I can tell you're leaders arelearners.
You're reading, you're tryingto take in best practices.
You got a humble spirit.
(44:16):
The folks that are on your teamI know they know it, but they
are.
You are blessed to be on a teamwith Kayla Marty and I know you
don't need to be built up, butyou're top shelf sister and the
Lord's using you in beautiful,beautiful ways and it's all
because of your humble learningposture and the kids that are in
(44:36):
your program ridiculouslyblessed to be learning with you.
So shared language we findmeaning based on language.
I'm just going to kind of put apin in that If you're a leader
and you don't have clearlystated mission, vision, values
like what are we doing, and thenyou're reinforcing, you've got
(44:57):
to tell people I mean seven,eight, nine, 20, 30 times who we
are, because this is in termsof the brain.
I'm always asking the questionwho am I?
And then how am?
Speaker 1 (45:07):
I relating to other people.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
And how do we act while we're here?
Right, and I find meaningconnected to identity and then
reinforcing the way we behave incommunity and leaders have to
find I don't care what thelanguage is, it just has to be
something that there's so manydifferent ways to do it that
captures the imagination andinforms the decisions that we
make and the way we treat oneanother on our journey toward,
(45:32):
toward there.
One of the things I like I liketo say is in my role, I get to
be a part of the vision.
I'm not the entire one, but Ibetter be super, super
passionate about the vision,where we're going.
And then culture how are wegetting there and how well are
we loving one another?
There's some strategy, but howwell are we loving one another
and challenging right, it's notjust affirming, it's challenging
(46:02):
one another on our way to there.
And language is the entire game.
Finding your shared language isthe entire thing, because we
gravitate toward dysfunction,naturally.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
We gravitate toward isolation.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
What language does is it unites us in community.
This is the type of people thatwe are so man, so so proud of
you and the work that you'redoing for the team that you have
around you People, I'm sure youget this all the time.
I bet you're speaking atdifferent things, kind of
sharing a little bit of themodel.
Thank you for being graciouswith your time with us, but if
(46:31):
people want to connect with youand hear more of the details of
the Ignite story, how can theydo so, kayla?
Speaker 1 (46:36):
Yeah, probably the easiest is just shoot me an
email at Kayla Marty atConcordiaOmahaorg, or you can
hit my personal email at KaylaMarty at gmailcom.
I love talking education.
I just want to be anencouragement to like I know
we're running short on time herebut, like you know, the LCMS,
(46:58):
we, historically we have justrocked it when it comes to
Christian education for yearsupon years, upon years and I
think sometimes we we go alittle negative and are like, oh
, you know what do we have?
Like we need to be more likethe other schools and you know,
if you have a space, if you havea gathering space of any size
(47:23):
and you have somebody passionateabout Christian education, you
have the opportunity.
You know we have real estate.
Tim like all over this nationExactly.
We have such an opportunity andI would just, I would love to be
an encouragement to smallcongregations, especially that
you are sitting on a gold mine.
(47:43):
I would love to help encourageyou and find ways.
I mean, I didn't hit on all ofour methods.
You know from Socraticdiscussions to like Paideia
lessons and like there's so muchmore.
You know how we hit on criticalskill thinking and
communication.
There's so much, but likethere's so much opportunity, so
much opportunity.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
Yeah, just say yes.
One of the reasons I do, notonly the lead time, but now this
podcast.
I want the Tim Olin podcast tobe just rebranded to be a
podcast of hope and innovationin a variety of different
sectors.
And that is the gift ofLutheranism and specifically in
the Lutheran Church MissouriSynod, is our well, the gospel,
(48:27):
the primacy of Christ.
But then it's this amazingheritage, people that have gone
before, that have had innovation, that started churches, started
schools.
And I guess, if I couldsummarize our conversation, we
reject the scarcity mindset, wereject we can't do it, no, no,
(48:49):
no.
This is the day Too much hasbeen given, much is required.
I've been reflecting on theparable of the talents, just
kind of coming back to it, andthe sin of omission is just as
serious as the sin of commission.
And I think there's room forgrowth right now in the Lutheran
Church Missouri Synod.
I think we could be buryingtalents and the master comes
(49:09):
back and he calls us wicked.
So again, a word of law whichshould lead us to repentance and
to set our mind on things aboveand not on the things of this
earth.
And Christ is there, he is that, he's the best coach.
You know, you and I've been inathletics he knows the exact
right word at the right time,and I think the word, just broad
, is let's go, let's start.
(49:29):
You have everything you needyour identity in me, you got the
people around you.
Let's give it.
Let's give it a shot,specifically in the education,
like we take this really, reallyserious, passing on the faith
to the next, next generation,and there is room for all sorts
of models.
Speaker 1 (49:44):
There's no one Holy grail of models right, Classical
or whatever, Like it's just.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
let's just get the gospel into the hearts and ears
of young people.
And we got to hear a greatstory of innovation with you.
So you're a gift.
Can't wait to see you at bestpractices.
For those that are coming down,hit us up.
The Unite Leadership Collectivewill have a table.
There's so many innovation,educational, innovative
opportunities going on forstudents of all ages right now
(50:09):
in the Lutheran Church, MissouriSynod.
It's a good day.
Go and make it a great day.
Right now in the LutheranChurch, Missouri Synod.
It's a good day.
Go and make it a great day.
This is the Tim Allman Podcast.
Speaker 1 (50:15):
Kayla, you rock sister, thank you, thank you,
thanks for the opportunity, andto God be the glory.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
Amen, let's go.
I am just super scared, like who.
You know, all the doubt, allthe worry, all the fear, all the
uncertainty, the obstacles aresteering me down and I just kind
of want out Right.
And you know my devotion thatday, like I'm like, just like
God, give me something like justto, to just soothe me, to just
(00:23):
remind me that you're, you'reloving and you're and and he
gave me the story of um.
Do you still not believe?
When they were, when, when thedisciples were, you know, going
through the storm and he hadbeen sleeping and stuff, and
they're like wake him up, jesus,jesus, help us.
Yeah, and he's like, do youstill not believe?
(00:45):
And it was just this reminder,that like if I looked back and
see all the steps he had linedup for this, like I had no
choice but to move forward.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Welcome to Tim Allman podcast.
I pray the joy of Jesus is yourstrength today and that you're
just in love with life.
I recently preached a messagecalled Life is Loss.
It certainly is.
That is the law.
But the gospel is life in JesusChrist.
Faith in him defeats ouroverwhelms, suffocates, stomps
out our loss, because Christ isrisen.
(01:21):
He's risen indeed, and it's agood day to be alive.
Today I get to hang out withKayla Marty.
Kayla and I are graduates ofConcordia, nebraska Go Bulldogs.
She's a 2005 graduate and shemarried one of my favorite
teammates from back in the day,matt Marty.
Shout out to Matt and hisamazing work in Lutheran schools
down through the years.
(01:42):
But today we're going to betalking about innovation in
education.
I'm going to let her tell alittle bit of her story.
She's an educator in the Omahaarea.
She recently received an awardwe were talking before and it's
kind of funny to talk aboutaward.
We don't do this for any kindof accolade, so it's kind of
silly, but nonetheless, thosewho labor are worthy of
(02:02):
recognition.
And she received theprestigious award of Nebraska
District LCMS All-ProfessionalChurch Workers Conference
Educator of the Year.
That's a mouthful in 2024.
So, kayla, this is going to bea great conversation today.
I've been looking forward to it.
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (02:19):
I'm really good.
Thank you so much for having meon, tim.
I always love talking education, so thanks for giving me the
opportunity and having thisconversation.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, no, this is going to be, this is going to be
fantastic.
So let's go back in your storya little bit.
Start there.
We need more Now.
Everybody, if you're baptized,you're a you're a church worker,
you're part of the church, andso sometimes I bristle at
professional church workers.
We're all because we're inChrist.
We're all working to expand thekingdom of God and all of our
(02:49):
various vocations.
Nonetheless, that being said,we need more pastors,
administrators, directors ofChristian education.
We need more educators for ourwonderful, wonderful Lutheran
school.
So tell me kind of when youknew you wanted to be a teacher.
Kayla, tell that story.
Yeah, you know what.
Tell me kind of when you knewyou wanted to be a teacher.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Kayla, tell that story.
Yeah, you know what I?
To be honest, I think I mostwanted to be a mom and you know
my mom was a teacher.
I like the schedules, that kindof line up with being a mom and
having time with your family.
My brother also went intoeducation.
I have some uncles anddifferent things that were also
(03:26):
in education, so it just kind ofwas a natural fit.
I guess I was really fortunategrowing up because my parents
were incredible and my dad was afarmer and he had this thing
where he just always kind ofsaid, like I make some money so
that Vicky can do the importantthings.
(03:48):
So because of that, I mean, mydad is one of the smartest,
wisest, most generous peopleI've ever met in my life.
So because of that, likedegrees and you know prestige
titles, even amount of money youmake, like that's never been a
driving force for me.
Um, but you know to work hard,to um, you know be generous, to
(04:14):
use what God has given you.
You know you and that's youknow it's just kind of
step-by-step.
God has led me to this placeand it's it's all him, it is all
him.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Well, don't you feel like cause my?
My family story is similar.
Just a good, a good home.
We stand on the shoulders.
I think our today, in the hyperindividualized Western American
consumeristic culture, we wemiss gratitude for not just
maybe our parents, but like ourgrandparents and those who have
(04:49):
come before, who have passed onthe faith.
That's right.
That's what I hear in yourstory.
It's just like a recognition.
You kind of won the spiritualglobal lottery by being born in
your family, and so you justwant to steward that.
Well, say more yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and I well, I think I used to be kind of
jealous, if I'm honest, ofpeople who had that kind of like
, you know, very pointed come toJesus moment, like, oh, I
wonder what it was like to notknow Jesus and then know Jesus,
like what, what?
That must be awesome.
And yet, you know, as I'vegotten older, I have appreciated
(05:22):
exactly what you're speaking toJust this deep appreciation for
the generations that have beenfaithful before me and brought
me, you know, to this point,taught me the things I know to
be able to serve in this way.
And so, yeah, it's moved fromalmost like, oh, I wish I had
(05:43):
something else, just to like,wow, like this is incredible,
humbling, very humbling.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
This higher call and as Lutherans, we don't.
We don't like worship thesaints or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
We worship Jesus, but there is a cloud of there is a
cloud of witnesses right, thatis before us.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
That's worshiping the throne of Jesus, anticipating
resurrection day, and we'recalled to work while it is day
and I want to steward this onelife that he's given me very,
very well.
That's a driving.
Why?
All for the glory of God, notfor the glory of.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Kayla or Tim or who really cares.
Right, we're going to beforgotten in time.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
But the mission of Jesus will continue and we just
want to steward these days well,especially passing on the faith
to the next, to the nextgeneration.
Really, as a mom I don't knowthat I've you're an educator,
like dads are obviouslyeducators, but from the young,
tell the story of like you took10 years to to raise your kids
outside of the classroom Right.
Tell a little bit of that storyand then, getting back into the
(06:41):
classroom, yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
I did like.
One of my biggest callings onmy life, I think, is to be a mom
and I'm so blessed to do that.
I have three kids Micah, caleb,karis.
Eighth, sixth, fourth, they are, you know, like what else is
there?
You know, like to be able to,like you're talking about, pass
on the faith.
Make sure you're taking thetime, be able to, like you're
(07:04):
talking about, pass on the faith.
Make sure you're taking thetime and energy to pour into
your family.
So I did.
I stayed home.
I was a teacher prior tostaying home.
I was a teacher.
I even got my admin degree butthen decided to put that on hold
to stay home and raise my kidsfor 10 years.
Super blessed.
(07:25):
You mentioned Matt earlier.
You played football with him,100% supportive husband.
So thankful for that.
Because it is a risk, right, andour culture says that we can't
do it, it doesn't make sense.
And we did it.
And you know some people say,well, it's nice if, if you have
the opportunity to do that, andyou know finances didn't really
(07:48):
look like we had the opportunityto do that, but we did it
anyways because we just thoughtit was that important and there
is zero regret for that decision.
You know professionally.
Some could argue that you know,maybe my life would look
different.
I don't care, I don't regret.
You know what I mean.
Like that, you know, maybe mylife would look different.
I don't care, I don't regret.
You know what I mean.
(08:08):
Like that, you know I love mykids, I'm so proud of them and
and I'm you know we're right,where we're supposed to be.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
There's nothing more holy than passing on the faith
that be fruitful and multiply,have children and let them know
about the love of Jesus.
So well done, Well done, Kayla.
Let's get into education Kindof a broad high level question.
How has the landscape ofeducation changed since you and
I were going through school?
(08:36):
How does it look different?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, I think there was just kind of this acceptance
of kind of the way things aredone, and if an expert says
something, we just kind ofbelieve it, and if they say they
have research to prove it, thenwe go with it and and just kind
of like a you know sheepmentality in some ways, I would
(08:59):
say.
I would say, when we weregrowing up, homes, homeschool or
kind of different models ofeducation were kind of thought
of more negatively Like, andmaybe one of the reasons that I
(09:27):
wouldn't send my kids to schoolis because of the socialization
they're going to get at school,and so I think that argument has
only, you know, has kind offlipped.
But in a way I think parentsare taking a little more
responsibility for their kids'education, thinking a little bit
more critically about what theywant and open to new ideas.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yeah, for sure I was.
Were you homeschooled at all?
I don't know any.
No, I wasn't.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
And I never anticipated that, but I did
homeschool for a little bitbrief moment, so we'll get into
that, I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, yeah, for sure I was homeschooled from little
bit brief moment.
So we'll get into that, I'msure.
Yeah, yeah, for sure I was.
I was homeschooled from fourththrough ninth grade and I always
kind of laugh if I say that inlike in a sermon or something
that explains a lot, you know.
But I had just a fantasticexperience, a small little and I
guess cause we're going to getinto your model right now it was
kind of a mixed age classroomlearning experience.
(10:27):
It was a little co-op.
I don't tell this story too much, but El Paso, texas, there were
no Christian schools, noLutheran schools.
Actually, there was a Christianschool, but it was like 30
minutes away on the other sideof town, and so a whole bunch of
moms, dads got together andsaid, hey, every, I think it was
Monday, wednesday and Fridaywe're going to get together for
like a three hour block and moms, you know, have specialties in
(10:49):
math or history.
My mom taught the history classand I didn't.
I didn't think it was weird atall, like there was probably 70
kids.
It was like a micro school,about 70 kids from kindergarten
through high school, and we hada funny little story.
There were a handful of athletesand dad's a pastor of a small
(11:09):
Lutheran church in El Paso, ahandful of athletes and my dad
being into sports and things, hegoes hey, tim, do you think we
could start a Christian athleticprogram?
And no joke.
Before we moved to Denver and Iwent to my parents' alma mater,
lutheran High in Denver, Iplayed football six-man football
(11:31):
first time I'd ever playedfootball and then basketball
with a whole bunch of homeschoolkids.
It was fantastic.
My freshman year of high schoolit was not weird at all, but
looking back, it was aninnovative model, an innovative
approach Anything more to saytoward homeschooling like this
shift now.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
No, I think, you know , I think we just have to
remember as parents that like,ultimately we are responsible
for our own kids and theireducation.
I think sometimes we like justkind of like hand that off to
the school or to the teachers,and I think we just need to kind
of pause and say no, actuallythat's my responsibility as the
(12:05):
parent and obviously I get toinvite people on that journey.
You know, as we choose a school, as we choose a co-op, as we
choose different things, but youknow we don't have to just kind
of pass that off as well.
That's not my responsibility,it is absolutely our
responsibility.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
So thank you, mom, and I know your kids, kayla, are
going to say the exact same asthey look back.
So tell us the story ofConcordia Lutheran Schools in
Omaha and how you started andare sustaining Ignite.
Kind of you said before we hit,play a school within a school.
Tell that story.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yeah.
So I just want to preface thisall that, as I'm talking like I
just want to be really pointedthat this is God's story.
This is I mean, I'm humbledthat he has used me, you know,
to, you know, do some stuff, butI don't take the credit.
If it would have been KaylaMarty in charge of this, it
(13:03):
would have failed really quickly.
So he put a calling on my heart.
There were at times I waskicking and screaming I don't
know if I want to do this.
I don't think I'm qualified.
I don't know that I'm theexpert in this area.
Like, who am I to think thatthis is going to work?
And what are other people goingto think?
Like, I don't like think I'mbetter than anybody else.
(13:26):
I just I want something alittle different for my kids.
So I just want to be really,really pointed that if you saw
my journals, if you saw, youknow if you could hear the
conversations that I had withmentors along the way.
This is, this is God's storyand I'm humbled to be a part of
it.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
I just got to pause on that.
That is the exact rightapproach to anything new
Humility I don't really knowwhat I'm doing.
I wrote a blog recently on theidol of certainty.
We got to have it all figuredout and that cripp, that
cripples us, it leads us.
There's this right approachhumility, team courage.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Let's go, let's try it.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
God, you got to move, you got to lead, you got to be
out in front of this Cause Icould get in the way.
And so I just hear and I justwant to affirm anytime you're
entering into a new venture,humility better win the day.
Because when humility is there,learning is there, an openness
to other people's perspectivesas the strategy needs to adjust
as we start to move.
Like that is the exact rightapproach.
(14:32):
A certain element Now there'stoo much of this but a certain
element of imposter syndrome Ithink needs to be there anytime
we take on a new venture.
Anything more to say to that,kayla?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
No, I think, you know , I think that we just got to be
really understanding, even froma biblical perspective.
You know, anytime that God wasfighting with those Israelites
as they were going into battle,anytime he was fighting with
them, like it, it really didn'tdepend on them, it was dependent
on God.
And you know, the same thing istrue in our lives.
(15:06):
If, if he's going to movesomething forward, it's going to
move forward despite us, um,and if, if he's not fighting
with us, guess what else isgoing to happen?
It's going to be very clearthat that's not a battle we're
supposed to be fighting.
And so, um, just to keep thatperspective in mind, but to also
(15:27):
be ready for doors to close too, because I think sometimes we
hold on to our ideas andconcepts too tightly and we have
to be able to step away and saythat's God's, he can do with it
what he wants, and and, and youjust got to give it up to him.
Absolutely, um, we cannot beconnect our identity.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It's all identity.
Right.
Our identity can't be connectedto our work, our new ideas.
Uh, because if it you're goingto hold on too tightly when your
ideas, in Christ, there's thiskind of okay, we're going to try
something, we're going to shrugour shoulders.
It wasn't a hundred.
Nothing's ever a hundredpercent you know, kayla, let's
just be honest.
Anytime we head into somethingor we're trying to sustain
(16:14):
something, we're all just makingit up Like there's no blueprint
, there's no roadmap per se,like this is just we're
following Jesus and there's justtrust, there's faith.
God, this is yours and help meto steward my life in this
season, this ministry role, thisinfluence, very, very well.
So that's a great preface.
(16:35):
With that preface being said,tell the Concordia story and the
Ignite story.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Absolutely Okay.
So prior to being here in Omaha, we're in Omaha right now at
Concordia Lutheran Schools ofOmaha.
But prior to this, our laststep, last stop, was in Las
Vegas, nevada.
My husband was teaching atFaith Las Vegas Awesome
opportunity.
He led the strength andconditioning there.
He really got that programgoing.
(17:02):
Super proud of him.
You know, it's also interestingI was still homeschooling at
that time and but Christianeducation out there is a
different beast.
It's really expensive, to becompletely honest, and it's a
different model than we're usedto in the Midwest, because out
there the school district is sopoor, so bad, that everyone is
(17:30):
trying to get into privateschools.
And so because of that,honestly, the model is the
schools help sustain the church,rather than we're used to in
the Midwest, the churcheshelping to support the schools.
So it's a completely differentmodel and because of that the
schools are quite expensive andwe, you know, we love Christian
(17:52):
education, we are 100% behindthat.
And so we sent our oldest,micah to kindergarten and first
grade in a Lutheran school andthen we got to like looking at
sending another and we were likeI don't know that we're going
to be like good stewards of ourmoney doing this anymore, you
know.
And they're like Kayla, we'llhire you, we'll give you a job,
(18:12):
just come back, it'll be easier.
And I was like I'm stillcommitted to raising my kids
while they're at home, and so itwas like I guess we're going to
homeschool.
That is nothing I dreamed about, that's nothing I, you know,
planned for it, just it's whatwas before me.
And there was a clear shiftthere, right, because you know
(18:34):
you go to be a teacher and youlearn how to be a teacher and
how you experience schoolgrowing up.
But all of a sudden there wasthis big shift from just like,
okay, how do I manage aclassroom, how do I teach?
Now there was this huge focus,but how do I want my kids to
learn?
(18:55):
Which was huge, wasastronomical in so many ways.
So, all of a sudden, all thosemethods you hear about in school
, we're back on the tableMontessori, classical, charlotte
Mason, unschooling, you know,regular kind of school, like
everything was back on the onthe table, you know.
And another thing I was seeingis these incredible,
(19:16):
valedictorian, super capable,academic kids coming out of like
high school and like what doyou mean?
You don't know how to fill outthis form.
Like you can't like like youcan read the directions and
figure this out right, and youknow, there's almost this, this
hesitancy, this like thisfrozenness that unless somebody
(19:39):
tells me exactly what to do, Iam incapable of figuring things
out.
And I just wanted nothing to dowith that.
You know, I grew up on a farm.
You learn through experience.
You jerry-rig things and figureit out, you know, and I wanted
to make sure my kids knew thatthey didn't have to wait for
(20:00):
directions, wait for somethingto be able to start it, and so,
anyways, with all that, alongthat same time it came across
this, this movement of microschools, and kind of got really
curious.
So, yes, I was planning tohomeschool my own kids and I did
, but then alongside I'm likeliterally got like spreadsheets
(20:22):
and all this stuff going in thebackground, like what would it
look like if I did this for morekids?
What would it look like if Ihad a whole classroom of this?
And ironically, you know sowe're living in Las Vegas.
Ironically, phoenix comes intoplay, because I was at best
practices and kind of liketalking to some people in Las
Vegas about like what would thislook like?
And I thought it was like theperfect location.
(20:45):
I certainly wasn't pushing, Iwasn't even a teacher at a
school, but I was like wouldn'tthis be exciting, like to have
some personalized learning.
You know, people would pay apremium in Las Vegas for sure
for this.
And nothing was broken, nothingneeded fixing, and so it was
just kind of like huh, that'sinteresting, and you know, and
(21:06):
that's where it stood, it's fine, no worries, and I certainly
was not forceful, just kind ofsharing, sharing some, some
ideas.
Anyways, fast forward.
Matt gets a call to Concordia,omaha, here, and one of the
questions when he wasinterviewing was is it okay if
we homeschool our kids?
And Rob Cooksey was the head ofschools at the time and he was
(21:32):
just confused more than anything.
Like Kayla, I'll hire you, likeyou can have a job, like I've
already tried to get you, youknow, to be a teacher on my
staff before.
Like let's just fix this, whyare you wanting to homeschool?
And kind of told him about someof my musings and some of the
things going on in thebackground and like I don't know
(21:52):
if I could do school.
You know the way school'susually done anymore and you
know this is all just God'stiming, because at the same time
they had just a couple classesthat were a little over capacity
, creating some discomfort forsome parents and thus for the
administration, and they hadmaybe tried a combined classroom
(22:13):
, but it was more out of needthan opportunity.
And you know, my idea wascompletely different, and so
they said, let's try it, and wewent.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
So that's the start of Ignite.
So what did you propose?
Speaker 1 (22:31):
So basically we started as a two to five, one
classroom.
We were full that first year of18 kids.
It's insane when I think aboutit.
Two of my own kids were in thatsetting.
But yeah, two to five, all inone classroom.
It was a sweet, beautiful yearwith lots of stress.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I imagine, and you're organizing everything.
You're kind of in, yeah, yep.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yep, this was.
I mean, I had super, you know,rob, you know, gave me the legs
to.
You know, in the, in the, the,you know, the space to be able
to dream and do this.
Uh, nate Domch was the AcademyPrince, is the Academy principal
.
Without his support, um, thiswould have gone nowhere, I mean.
So, you know, without that, youknow, this would have been just
(23:25):
dead in the water, you know.
But Nate even put his son inIgnite, showing that he was
willing to take a risk as well.
And, yeah, it's just beenreally fun.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
So let's get a little bit more detailed.
I mean, what does the day looklike in a mixed class?
I mean, how do you manageeducation for kids at such
different stages of learning?
It's wonderful, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
You know, so kind of one of the things that makes us
most unique, and I always, youknow like, people ask like is
this Montessori, is thisclassical?
It is eclectic, it is a mixtureof a whole bunch of ideas.
One thing that feels a littleMontessori-ish is for that
second through fifth grade level, we have two hours in our day
(24:10):
which we call power hour.
So kids are working on allsorts of different things.
They have a learning menu, likebasically checklists or lists
that they create of things thatthey need to do for that week.
But and we have small pulloutlessons during that time for
grammar, for reading, for math,but not everyone's working on
(24:32):
the same thing at the same time,so they have things that they
need to finish.
But there is, you know, youwalk in and they all might be
working on different things.
So it's, it's a little bitdifferent.
That's what we call our powerhour.
So, yeah, cursive, grammar,math, all sorts of stuff are
getting accomplished during thatpower hour.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Love it and a lot of independent learning.
It sounds like.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, and we have the opportunity to set goals with
students for different things.
So that's a weekly activitysetting goals and and some of
the lessons they're working on,um, we, you know there's also um
the ability.
Now I have found I thought andmaybe this is just more my
personality, but I thought everysingle student was going to
(25:20):
want to like work independentlyon their own thing at their own
time.
I have found over the yearsmost kids actually prefer to
work in a cohort and do bestwith that kind of accountability
.
So we have kind of both and youknow we have, I would say,
probably 80% of our kids kind ofland in a cohort and are kind
(25:41):
of happy to move along, you know, through math, through grammar,
through different things, witha group of people learning in
that style.
But we also have about 20% ofour class that are what I call
working rogue.
You know through math, throughgrammar, through you know
different things, and they havethe opportunity to do that, to
(26:03):
move at a pace where, where thatexcites them, that gets them
excited about learning, thatpushes them, that gives them a
sense of, of, you know,accomplishment and purpose.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
So yeah, so from a one other question, before I get
even more detailed is there sixthrough eight?
Is that, is that also an ignite, or is it just two to five?
Good?
Speaker 1 (26:27):
question right now.
So, yeah, this is somethingkind of dear to my heart.
We haven't moved it up yetcompletely and who knows what
that will look like.
It's God's to work with.
We did explore that.
Even for my own kids.
I didn't know if aself-contained classroom at that
age level, where there's somuch comparison, so much you
(26:51):
know just social stuff too, Iwasn't convinced that it was
completely healthy.
But what we have done is one ofthe things you know.
I talked about power hour,another thing that makes us
unique as we use badges to learnkind of objective material.
So you know showing masteryover states, capitals, you know
(27:11):
different subject areas, history, timelines, you know hitting
different genres, memorizingbooks of the Bible, or you know
different things like that.
We have badges to kind of showmastery in certain content areas
and so what we have done lastsummer my project was to create
a badge system for middleschoolers.
These are going to be, you knowand again my own kids are in
(27:35):
there but areas in likeleadership, like attending a
leadership seminar, maybelistening to 10 Tim Ullman
podcasts, you know, onleadership or others.
But you know some.
There's some financial badges,like doing a savings project or
creating a business there's,there's job shadows.
(27:57):
So we have kind of this, we'recalling that activate, so we can
now activate, but we're we'vecreated some optional badges for
all middle schoolers.
You know that they have accessto.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
When I hear the word badges, all I have in my head
since I was a young kid and it'sa movie.
I don't even know what themovie is Kayla Badges.
We don't need no stinkingbadges, I have no idea where
that quote comes from.
You could Google it.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Look it up.
I cannot help you out.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
People need badges.
People need actually no reward.
Like appropriate I work welldone, I'm working toward a goal
and then I'm recognized.
There's a lot on the habit loop.
You have to have some sort of areward, the habit loop, you
know you have to have some sortof a reward.
And maybe in educationsometimes there's not enough
reward and the cycle of rewardsI just hear you affirming and we
(28:47):
need incremental stages indevelopment and are those that
are in authority over us oureducators, parents, et cetera
seeing it and reinforcing greatbehavior.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
So badges are helpful .
Yeah, absolutely, andironically, and ironically, I am
going to do um, I don't knowwhen this will be published, but
uh, at best practices.
In just a few weeks I'll we'llbe doing a presentation on
badges for for the.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
This will be out before, before best practices.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
So okay, there you go .
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Down down in Phoenix.
Uh, so good.
So, um, for those who arewondering, is there intention
around starting in seconds,Because I'm thinking
developmental stages of an 8 to11-year-old boy or girl?
Is there great data?
I guess it says that's probablya sweet time for mixed
classroom learning, Because Iaffirm that the 6 through 8, the
(29:37):
adolescent years there's somuch comparison and maybe
working together in mixed agecohorts could be dysfunctional.
I think it could work, but itmay be harder in that
developmental season.
So say more about the eight to11 year range for learning.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
I don't have any specific data.
I mean, god was gracious to me.
I thought I was going to openthis up K to five because that
was like the ages of my own kidsand I had caught taught my own
kids to read and so I was like,yeah, let's do this.
It was by the grace of God.
He knew that that was probablytoo much to handle.
So really all the interest wasin grades two to five, with the
(30:12):
exception of my own kid who wasalready reading, so he was ready
to go as a first grader, inkind of that second grade.
You know level.
But you know.
So we had this two to fivecohort.
We grew, we added anotherteacher for that two to five
cohort, so now we're up to, likeyou know, 36 kids in that
(30:32):
cohort but we'd split.
You know, for history we'dsplit for different things, for
writing, for science, all thosestuff.
But then you know, the schoolwanted to grow again.
So then we added that K-1 pieceand I think you know that was
that was wise, that we did it inthat way, because there is just
so much intentional, you knowcontent that needs to go to
(30:56):
teaching someone.
You know conceptualizingnumbers and math, and then also,
you know, beginning to read,and we have some great pieces in
place for that and we're reallyproud of that.
But I think it was just by thegrace of God that he spared me
from that at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah, no, that's good .
There's educators, I assume,administrators, pastors, who get
to be a part of Lutheranschools, listening, what are the
primary indicators?
Now, every story is unique,every context is unique.
So, taking that into account,what words of wisdom would you
give to an administrator orleader as a primary indicator
that a micro school may work intheir school context?
Speaker 1 (31:39):
I mean, people have to be passionate about education
.
Right, christian education iswhat I'm going for.
I don't know that any.
I mean, every single year I'vetaught, I've told my kids, you
know, I hope you learn math, Ihope you learn English, like all
the stuff.
But what I really hope is thatyou learn more about the God,
(31:59):
who loves you, who created you,who has a purpose for your life.
And so there's got to beindividuals who are just
passionate about getting thegospel into the hearts and minds
of young people in theircommunity.
I would also say there's got tobe someone who's able to put
(32:20):
some time and energy into this,like it's you know it's it's
entrepreneurial in the sensethat, like, like you're starting
something new and like CraigRochelle talks about like
anytime you're trying to buildmomentum, like it's really hard
at the beginning.
Yeah, totally.
And so who's going to have?
(32:40):
Who believes in this, who hasthe heart for this?
But who's going to?
You know, I grew up with twoparents.
You know my dad, like he wasn'ta 40 hour a week guy, and my
mom, she was a.
She started preschool.
She was entrepreneurial in herown.
Both my parents were lookingback in a way.
She started preschools in allsorts of little Lutheran
(33:01):
churches around the area, andnone of them, neither of my
parents, had kind of this like,well, now's my time to sit back
and just, you know, have me time.
You know, and and I think we'vein some ways, you know, we've
gotten to the point where wethink we deserve so much, I
don't know relaxation, comfort,I don't know, and there's a
(33:25):
balance, because I'm probablytoo far on that spectrum.
I'm a grinder, I will admitthat, but you know, I don't know
.
I think you need somebodywilling to grind, willing to go
above and beyond, and here's thething, though, is they're not
going to get, maybe get, thesame rewards that an
entrepreneur starting their ownbusiness would get.
(33:47):
You know there's not like thisbig.
You know you're not going togrow a business that eventually,
you're going to, you know, bemaking lots of money, and you
know life is easy, you know soit's, it's, I don't know.
Finding the right person tohelp out this with this can can
be challenging.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Well, it's all about leadership.
It's having the right personwith the, with the right posture
of humility and the right senseof of build, measure, learn
mentality, kind of lean, startupmentality.
That's what I hear you saying.
We're going to build something,we're going to measure how
effective or not it is and thenwe're going to adapt.
Um, adaptive leadership.
(34:27):
There's a lot, there's a lot ofwork.
Um, and Vanessa Seifert, who'sin your district on, if you know
Vanessa, right, kayla, I meanit's she's the adaptive
leadership guru.
And how well I stay in the gamewhen it, when inevitably
sabotage, you know, lies fromthe evil one or lies from others
.
You know, human beings are kindof.
(34:47):
We love to like, take, takeeach other down and build up.
All of these reasons why wecan't do it.
I just know our God is a God ofabundance and he's like yeah,
go, you're my kid and you'resafe, you're going to be all
right.
So go and take the appropriaterisk.
And there is a level of risk inyour story.
I hear you're grounded in yourfamily.
(35:07):
Obviously, matt's awesome, he'san awesome spouse, so you're
safe there.
Your kids are in this season.
I want to care for them, butmaybe, in caring for them while
I can care for some others, andthen you were supported by
administration.
If all of those things are kindof aligned as a leader looking
to try something new, go runLike I'm in a context right now
(35:28):
which is so fun so fun Because,well, sometimes you got to say
no for financial or whateverLike we try things here and not
all of them work right, butwe're going to keep trying.
We're going to keep trying, allfor the ultimate purpose of
bringing the gospel to as manyyoung and old people as possible
the working poor, the homeless.
You know, tonight I get topreach at La Mesa.
(35:48):
We keep grinding.
That ministry has been going onnow for over a decade People
showing up every Tuesday, everyThursday, bringing a meal and
worship to people who normallywouldn't be welcomed in a lot of
our context.
But it all has to do with avisionary leader willing to work
.
Willing to work, and that's whoyou are.
How did you handle, though?
(36:09):
I mean, you started out talkingabout humility.
How did you process fear andrisk?
What did that look like,especially in the early stages
of Ignite Kayla?
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Oh, definitely.
I mean, there were so manymoments, tim, where I was like
am I going to mess these kids up?
Like how do these parents trustme?
Like who am I to start thisAgain?
You know I mentioned journalsand conversations with mentors
and you know, but like that wassuch a sweet time.
(36:41):
I've never felt closer to Godthan than during that really
hard season, and you know he was.
There were moments where he was,he spoke very gently to me and
was patient with me.
There's other times I there'sthis one, one story I have.
So it was the day that I wasgoing to go talk to parents and
(37:04):
introduce this idea for the veryfirst time.
Right, and I am just superscared, like you know.
All the doubt, all the worry,all the fear, all the
uncertainty, the obstacles aresteering me down and I just kind
of want out Right.
The obstacles are steering medown and I just kind of want out
Right.
And you know my devotion.
That day, like I'm like, justlike God, give me something,
(37:26):
like just to, to just soothe me.
When, when the disciples were,you know, going through the
(37:47):
storm and he had been sleepingand stuff, and they're like wake
him up, jesus, jesus, help us.
Yeah, and he's like do youstill not believe?
And it was just this reminderthat like, if I looked back and
see all the steps he had linedup for this, like I had no
choice but to move forward.
But it was.
It was not this, you know, itwas like this disciplining dad
(38:08):
like get over it, like go, likeI'm not gonna you don't need any
more comfort.
You don't need any more pityparties, Just move and so so you
know there's, there's been all,all sides of it.
Um, yeah, it's, it's been ajourney for sure.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Jesus bats a thousand .
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Kayla, he's so gives us right what we need when we
need it full with lawn gospel atthe at the right times.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
Uh, so so good.
Um, kind of kind of broached ita little bit of a topic.
I think I'd like to, as we'recoming down the homestretch,
hang here Receiving toughfeedback, like when things don't
go as planned, which they neverwill go perfectly as planned
because sinful humans areconnected to it.
But I can imagine you've had,and probably continue to have,
(39:02):
conversations with parents whodon't get it, who their kid has
struggled for one reason oranother, because I'm sure
there's no perfect model, right?
I mean there's just stayingconnected and loving kids and
doing what we believe is intheir best interest.
How do you handle parentfeedback that's less than
favorable?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
You know, I think it goes back to your identity
comment.
You know, god sees my motives,god sees my heart.
And am I the perfect teacher?
No.
Do we have the perfectcurriculum?
No.
Is there a perfect student?
No, and yet God can continue towork.
So I think, keeping that inperspective, also with humility,
(39:48):
you know just kind of, you knowaccepting those moments of you
know, not everyone's going toget it, not everyone needs to
get it, you know, at the sametime or ever, but trusting that
God knows our hearts, god knowsour motives and when we are
(40:09):
About, with all sincerity,trying to make his name great
and not our own name Great, Ithink we do have that freedom
that you're talking about.
So so it's OK if not everyonegets it.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
Yeah, yeah, let's.
Let's close talking aboutculture and the people that are
on your team right now.
So how many give someperspective?
How many people do you kind ofoversee right now on your team
and ignite?
Speaker 1 (40:41):
So in addition to me there's three other teachers, so
there's four of us total.
But we have some other aides inaddition to that that are near
full time or, you know,significant in what we're doing.
So probably double that, butyou know we.
There's a book, the Other Halfof Church.
I don't know if you've everread it.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right and left brain stuff
.
Oh yeah, I've referred to thema lot.
It's great, yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Love, love.
All that, and that was kind ofa diving board for us to really
look at identity statements.
We created some identitystatements from that and
actually the kids were a part ofthat, helping us like when
we're our best selves.
We're never going to be perfect, but when we're our best selves
, what do we look like in Ignite, you know?
(41:28):
And so all the kids hadfeedback on that and from there
we kind of landed on you know,we are people who seek God, we
rely on God.
We, you know, give thanks toGod.
We also love others.
We put others before ourselves.
You know the two commandmentsare love God, love others.
(41:50):
There's not a love yourself.
Last, and I'm not dismissingthe need to take care of
yourself, but we we do that.
Naturally our sinful nature,you know, we'll always look out
for yourself and so so, keepingthat in mind, the other three we
landed on taking risks, findingjoy, doing hard things.
(42:12):
You know those are a part ofour culture, but we ask that our
staff, you know, buy into thosethings as well.
You know we have lots of sharedlanguage within our Ignite
program.
You know we talk about being ona champion's journey.
We're champions not because ofwhat we've done, but because of
(42:32):
what Christ has done for us.
But because of that not becauseof what we've done, but because
of what Christ has done for us,but because of that we are
champions in the end, no matterwhat, what obstacles, what
sickness, what you know, evendeath itself, like, we win in
the end.
So so you know, we will haveobstacles, we will have trials,
so that's language we lean into.
We talk about eating frogs.
There's a Mark Twain quote thatsays if you have to eat a frog,
(42:54):
eat it first thing in themorning, and if you have two
frogs, eat the bigger one first.
So you know, we talk a lotabout eating frogs, doing things
we don't necessarily want to do, getting them done right away.
We talk about fighting ants,automatic negative thoughts kind
of coined by Dr Amen out of or,yeah, amen, I believe out of
(43:18):
California.
So those automatic negativethoughts, fighting them,
especially with gratitude.
So you know, and doing hardthings, hitting those deadlines,
just doing things that don'tseem fun, that aren't
comfortable, but they'reimportant.
And so we just have a lot ofshared language and you know I
kind of see my role in a lot ofways as like a chief reminding
(43:41):
officer, not only to you know,our staff, but our students, you
know, continually bringing usback to some of those key points
and identity statements.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Kayla, you're a great leader by the grace of God, I'm
serious.
I like nails.
I'm taking notes.
You're reminding me of things Iforget more than I know.
You are reminding me.
I can tell you're leaders arelearners.
You're reading, you're tryingto take in best practices.
You got a humble spirit.
(44:16):
The folks that are on your teamI know they know it, but they
are.
You are blessed to be on a teamwith Kayla Marty and I know you
don't need to be built up, butyou're top shelf sister and the
Lord's using you in beautiful,beautiful ways and it's all
because of your humble learningposture and the kids that are in
(44:36):
your program ridiculouslyblessed to be learning with you.
So shared language we findmeaning based on language.
I'm just going to kind of put apin in that If you're a leader
and you don't have clearlystated mission, vision, values
like what are we doing, and thenyou're reinforcing, you've got
(44:57):
to tell people I mean seven,eight, nine, 20, 30 times who we
are, because this is in termsof the brain.
I'm always asking the questionwho am I?
And then how am?
Speaker 1 (45:07):
I relating to other people.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
And how do we act while we're here?
Right, and I find meaningconnected to identity and then
reinforcing the way we behave incommunity and leaders have to
find I don't care what thelanguage is, it just has to be
something that there's so manydifferent ways to do it that
captures the imagination andinforms the decisions that we
make and the way we treat oneanother on our journey toward,
(45:32):
toward there.
One of the things I like I liketo say is in my role, I get to
be a part of the vision.
I'm not the entire one, but Ibetter be super, super
passionate about the vision,where we're going.
And then culture how are wegetting there and how well are
we loving one another?
There's some strategy, but howwell are we loving one another
and challenging right, it's notjust affirming, it's challenging
(46:02):
one another on our way to there.
And language is the entire game.
Finding your shared language isthe entire thing, because we
gravitate toward dysfunction,naturally.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
We gravitate toward isolation.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
What language does is it unites us in community.
This is the type of people thatwe are so man, so so proud of
you and the work that you'redoing for the team that you have
around you People, I'm sure youget this all the time.
I bet you're speaking atdifferent things, kind of
sharing a little bit of themodel.
Thank you for being graciouswith your time with us, but if
(46:31):
people want to connect with youand hear more of the details of
the Ignite story, how can theydo so, kayla?
Speaker 1 (46:36):
Yeah, probably the easiest is just shoot me an
email at Kayla Marty atConcordiaOmahaorg, or you can
hit my personal email at KaylaMarty at gmailcom.
I love talking education.
I just want to be anencouragement to like I know
we're running short on time herebut, like you know, the LCMS,
(46:58):
we, historically we have justrocked it when it comes to
Christian education for yearsupon years, upon years and I
think sometimes we we go alittle negative and are like, oh
, you know what do we have?
Like we need to be more likethe other schools and you know,
if you have a space, if you havea gathering space of any size
(47:23):
and you have somebody passionateabout Christian education, you
have the opportunity.
You know we have real estate.
Tim like all over this nationExactly.
We have such an opportunity andI would just, I would love to be
an encouragement to smallcongregations, especially that
you are sitting on a gold mine.
(47:43):
I would love to help encourageyou and find ways.
I mean, I didn't hit on all ofour methods.
You know from Socraticdiscussions to like Paideia
lessons and like there's so muchmore.
You know how we hit on criticalskill thinking and
communication.
There's so much, but likethere's so much opportunity, so
much opportunity.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
Yeah, just say yes.
One of the reasons I do, notonly the lead time, but now this
podcast.
I want the Tim Olin podcast tobe just rebranded to be a
podcast of hope and innovationin a variety of different
sectors.
And that is the gift ofLutheranism and specifically in
the Lutheran Church MissouriSynod, is our well, the gospel,
(48:27):
the primacy of Christ.
But then it's this amazingheritage, people that have gone
before, that have had innovation, that started churches, started
schools.
And I guess, if I couldsummarize our conversation, we
reject the scarcity mindset, wereject we can't do it, no, no,
(48:49):
no.
This is the day Too much hasbeen given, much is required.
I've been reflecting on theparable of the talents, just
kind of coming back to it, andthe sin of omission is just as
serious as the sin of commission.
And I think there's room forgrowth right now in the Lutheran
Church Missouri Synod.
I think we could be buryingtalents and the master comes
(49:09):
back and he calls us wicked.
So again, a word of law whichshould lead us to repentance and
to set our mind on things aboveand not on the things of this
earth.
And Christ is there, he is that, he's the best coach.
You know, you and I've been inathletics he knows the exact
right word at the right time,and I think the word, just broad
, is let's go, let's start.
(49:29):
You have everything you needyour identity in me, you got the
people around you.
Let's give it.
Let's give it a shot,specifically in the education,
like we take this really, reallyserious, passing on the faith
to the next, next generation,and there is room for all sorts
of models.
Speaker 1 (49:44):
There's no one Holy grail of models right, Classical
or whatever, Like it's just.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
let's just get the gospel into the hearts and ears
of young people.
And we got to hear a greatstory of innovation with you.
So you're a gift.
Can't wait to see you at bestpractices.
For those that are coming down,hit us up.
The Unite Leadership Collectivewill have a table.
There's so many innovation,educational, innovative
opportunities going on forstudents of all ages right now
(50:09):
in the Lutheran Church, MissouriSynod.
It's a good day.
Go and make it a great day.
Right now in the LutheranChurch, Missouri Synod.
It's a good day.
Go and make it a great day.
This is the Tim Allman Podcast.
Speaker 1 (50:15):
Kayla, you rock sister, thank you, thank you,
thanks for the opportunity, andto God be the glory.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
Amen, let's go.
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