[Tutor] Sorting a list manually

[nzbz xx]

I am trying to create a def function where I can sort a list in ascending
order by starting with the first item in the list and comparing it to the
number next to it. The evolution of the list  [4, 3, 2, 1] would look as
such:

[*4*, 3, 2, 1] [3, *4*, 2, 1] [3, 2, *4*, 1] [3, 2, 1, *4*]
[*3*, 2, 1, 4] [2, *3*, 1, 4] [2, 1, *3*, 4] [2, 1, 3, *4*]
[*2*, 1, 3, 4] [1, *2*, 3, 4] [1, 2, *3*, 4] [1, 2, 3, *4*]
[*1*, 2, 3, 4] [1, *2*, 3, 4] [1, 2, *3*, 4] [1, 2, 3, *4*]

There's a total of 12 steps in the sorting above. So far, I've managed to
solve the same list using the code below:

def sorting_function(k):
    steps_count = 0
    for j in range(len(k)):
        for i in range(len(k)-1):
            if k[i] > k[i+1]:
                k[i], k[i+1] = k[i+1], k[i]
            steps_count = steps_count + 1
            print(k)
    print(steps_count)

k = [4,3,2,1]
sorting_function(k)

And got the following output:
[3, 4, 2, 1]
[3, 2, 4, 1]
[3, 2, 1, 4]
[2, 3, 1, 4]
[2, 1, 3, 4]
[2, 1, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
12

However, when I tested the code using a different list e.g. [1, 2, 3, 4],
the output is:
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1, 2, 3, 4]
12

The output should only have a total of 4 steps. What's wrong with my code?