🎙️Ep. 8: Measuring Love in Ed Tech Communities with MannyDiscoTech 🪩

What This Episode is About

In this episode of The Bridge, Manny Curiel shares his journey from immigrating to the U.S. without knowing English to becoming a beloved educator, edtech coach, and now community builder at Edpuzzle. He opens up about learning alongside his students, the power of authentic connection, and his belief that true impact can’t be measured in data alone but in love.

Manny reflects on building supportive communities, empowering teachers, and modeling vulnerability and humanity in the classroom. He also discusses his forthcoming book, which blends personal stories with encouragement for teachers to trust themselves, embrace imperfection, and create learning experiences rooted in joy and connection.

Meet Our Guest

Hi-eee! Súper Manny is a former 1st grade teacher, EdTech Coach, and future author… Yaaas!. He enjoys walks on the beach, supports and empowers educators globally as part of the Edpuzzle’s Community team ✨💛… People First!.

Find him on socials and say Helllleeeeer!

🔗 MannyDiscoTech on Instagram

🔗 MannyDiscoTech on Facebook

🔗 MannyDiscoTech on X / Twitter

Key Takeaways

• True community isn’t built through metrics or sales—it’s about making people feel seen, valued, and supported. Manny calls this “measuring in love.”
• Manny once told his company’s leadership that his success couldn’t be tracked in charts or graphs—only in hugs, conversations, and authentic connections. Years later, the same leaders echoed back his phrase: “We measure in love.”
• Model your humanity in the classroom—record videos that aren’t perfect, admit when you don’t know something, and let students see you as a learner, too. This builds safety and trust.
• Manny’s story highlights the power of belonging and mentorship—how communities of practice and authentic relationships can carry educators forward in their careers and expand their impact far beyond their own classrooms.

Transcript

Cate Tolnai: Okay. I am so happy to have you with us on The Bridge today, Manny.

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah.

Cate Tolnai: Hello.

MannyDiscoTech: I’m very nervous. Just so you know. I always get nervous. Always, and then it just like relax. Yeah. It's the beginning.

Cate Tolnai: because you, I have only just spent time, don't know, but I watch people, especially at conferences and so I see you. I'm not a lurker, but I see you, I know we have so many people in common and the

MannyDiscoTech: Yes.

Cate Tolnai: that we haven't actually given each other a hug IRL or anything like that.

That will change forever and ever from here on out.

MannyDiscoTech: But we need to make it work. Yeah. Some point.

Cate Tolnai: okay. Tell us a little bit like of your, of course your bio will be in the show notes, but, tell us about you. What's going on, what do you do? Where are you at? All the goods. 

MannyDiscoTech: I came to this country. I say picture this Sicily, 1943. When you come to the story, I love me some Golden Girls. well, I came to this country a couple, like 20 something years ago. I didn't speak any English. I, you know, I went to, community college, did my credits in culinary, then I'm like, I can't do it.

Cate Tolnai: Oh wow.

MannyDiscoTech: then I transferred to education, to taught for little kids. I'm a child. And, I was learning along with the kids because even though I have a master's, in education right now, they didn't teach you how to teach.

They don't. So I was learning bubbles of different sounds along with the students and it's the, yeah, and I did whole group just 'cause that's just what we all do in the beginning and then it's the looking at the kid at the eyes like teaching to the eyes.

I learned that and it's the doing things differently. so I left the classroom 'cause I got a fantastic principal who said. I don't need to be in your classroom to know what you're doing. I need you to tweet. 'cause you know, back in the day, Twitter was a thing, tweets and then do the school hashtag blah, blah, blah.

And then, district people started coming to my classroom, like, who is this person? I move into as a Coach, Districtwide

Cate Tolnai: What year was that?

MannyDiscoTech: got to meet,

I don't know. I taught for like seven years, not long. And then I did the EdTech coach. For, four years. So I started teaching 2012. I don't do math. I was a language arts teacher,

Cate Tolnai: Okay,

MannyDiscoTech: whatever that is.

Cate Tolnai: like late 20. Late 2010s. Yeah. become the Coach

MannyDiscoTech: like that. Yeah.

Cate Tolnai: Before the pandemic. Can we say that before the

MannyDiscoTech: Yes. It was definitely before the pandemic because I was a tech coach. When the pandemic, oh, my heart went to teacher. Like, how are you guys doing this? 'cause I'll have a hard time.

So I did that for a couple years and then I started to meet all these people, around the globe. It was fantastic.

Then I moved into the community role in Edpuzzle because I said, listen, you have all these, communities like Flip, being the one of 'em. I says, they helped me, they introduced me to all these people, and they grow my circle. As much as I love Edpuzzle, you don't help me. That's a problem. So I need to do your community, and they said, okay.

Cate Tolnai: Did you like go up to them at a conference and tell them that?

MannyDiscoTech: No, I was actually friends with Kim, the CEO and I, I texted him and, and she's like, okay, I'm giving my daughter a bath, so let, let's talk tomorrow. Okay. But it wasn't like, listen, I don't wanna be a sales person 'cause I don't, I don't do sales. You know? And then throughout the years, you know, Flipgrid.

Team has been my mentor. I am where I am because of them. And it was in a conversation that it was the we measuring love, right? Like this, this, these companies are like tracking things down as like, no, no. It is the measuring and love. There's a whole story. about, you know, how the measuring love came about, but is the That's what I was pitching the idea to Kim.

I was like, we, we need to have a community person. So we introduce people to other people and, and grow their circle. It is not about a cell, it's about making them feel heard, seen, and valued. 'cause that's what Flipgrid did for me and I got a job. So that's what I do now. And I said, 

Cate Tolnai: gosh, that is amazing. Do you know people are gonna be listening to this and just being like, so you could just call CEOs and make a job.

MannyDiscoTech: If this hot mess of a person who came to this country not knowing English, ADHD, flamboyant as it could be, honey, anyone can do it.

Cate Tolnai: God.

MannyDiscoTech: just need to put your mind into it and be like, this is, this is what you need to do. And, and it and it worked.

Cate Tolnai: gosh.

MannyDiscoTech: I don't wanna do sales. I was like, well, what do you wanna do?

I'm like, I wanna be your community person.

Cate Tolnai: so

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah. And he says

Cate Tolnai: Ed Puzzle Community, like that was, this is your baby?

MannyDiscoTech: they. They had the coach, you know, they had certifications already done, but there was no, there was the, the face was Kim, the CEO, and I was like, but you're not the one made this connection. So it used to be Kim. Now I'm the face of the company. And then they say it is the heart of the company. So along with Jesus and Majo, we all manage the community 'cause omg, this is.

A lot of work. A lot of work. So we have ambassadors. We didn't have ambassadors back then, so I was like, listen you, this is what Fuka does. Like you have like little circles and the circles get smaller and smaller. The deeper the connection it gets, it's the smaller, you know, the people that you have in those circles.

So ambassadors, I only have 50 global globally,

Cate Tolnai: not a

MannyDiscoTech: because we're like, no, it's not, but I could.

Cate Tolnai: Wow.

MannyDiscoTech: Like when, when I order the swag for the ambassadors, I get them all in my house. I personalize it myself. I write notes myself, and it's the like, it is a lot of work and I'm like, why am I doing this to myself? And I said, I will never do this again.

And then you get all these feedback and I'm like, that's why I did it. That is why. And people are just like, I can't believe man took the time to do all of these things. And yeah, that's the thing is it's a small, because I want to dedicate myself to them because they help me. They're the extension of us.

It's just too many so small.

Cate Tolnai: and to your point, like it can't, it doesn't happen on accident, the authentic community. 

MannyDiscoTech: Yep.

Cate Tolnai: Making sure people feel, seen, feel valued. Like it, it could be as simple as you personalizing this box of swag and yeah. That's not simple.

that is your heart. That is your soul. It's,

MannyDiscoTech: It is.

Cate Tolnai: it sounds like what teachers do every day for their students. like you're, like, you're not in the classroom, but it doesn't feel like you're very removed. Manny.

MannyDiscoTech: I love being in people's classrooms. It's just, it, the connection with the students and when you see it, I was like, ah, I missed this, and then you stay a little longer. I was like, yeah, no, 

Cate Tolnai: I'm good where I'm at. Yeah.

MannyDiscoTech: I was like, I think I've tasted what it feels like to impact people globally. I'm like, I can't go back because.

My audience will be very small and help us say that that was something that I needed. So I told Kim, like I started in a really large school district in Texas, and then it was, you know, more and more and more people. It's like, I need more. He's like, how about the world? I'm like, yes, we'll take the world.

Cate Tolnai: Okay. Is this person sounds amazing. The CEO?

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah, he's, he's a teacher. Like started because of the need of the students that he was having that were absent of it. He's like, I need to, to put a video and some kind of tracking you all of that. So that is how I started.

So, yeah.

Cate Tolnai: I'm such a fan-girl of EDpuzzle. this is not, when I was like, wait, I get to talk to Manny. and there's only certain like. I'm, I have been true to my heart and soul through all of these years of ed tech and like I, when I talk about tools or when I show tools like it is because I use them, I believe in them.

I want teachers to use them with kids and like I have long admired the commitment that Edpuzzle has made to just help teachers. And back in the day I was like flipping my classroom in 2010. Do you remember, did you do flipped classroom at all? Okay.

MannyDiscoTech: Oh yes,

Cate Tolnai: And it's amazing 'cause I actually have, I teach teachers now, so one of the things I do is I teach teacher candidates, people getting their teaching credentials and I get to teach them their one unit of ed tech, unit of ed tech for all of what it be means to be a teacher in California, they get one unit of ed tech. Okay. So I'm like, how do I, what, how do, I teach one unit of ed tech?

MannyDiscoTech: Yes.

Cate Tolnai: but you're darn tootin', I have Edpuzzle in every unit or every module because I'm just like, yeah. Like at least touch it, at least understand it, as a learner, build your confidence and, okay.

yeah. all right, I'm done. Fan girling. oh, you said there's a story about measuring in love. Will we tell it?

MannyDiscoTech: So, yeah, it, so when I got hired, you know, so the CEO says, okay, here is the person that you're reporting to, which. He manages the entire company, right? Every single person reports up to him and he says, fantastic. This is that. He was sending me to conferences and things, and, and he's from sales, so you know, he's a sales person

Cate Tolnai: Yeah.

MannyDiscoTech: And he says, well, how do you know that, what you're doing is successful? How do you measure success? It's great. You know, people love it. Like, no, no, no, but what are your measurements? How are you tracking that? What you're doing works? And I'm like, I, I,

Cate Tolnai: Are people smiling?

MannyDiscoTech: So we speak in Spanish. We speak in Spanish. It was like, there was no, language barrier or anything.

I was like, I don't think you know what I do. And this was right before, Spring Cue and where we were, it was, it was Jess Ann. And I like just venting because, it's like, why is this, they're companies that are like, they trying to quantify this, like this is, you cannot measure this. And it was the, and I told 'em like, listen, when they come to the booth.

I take pictures with them, I listen to them. I'm the one that it's, it's the connection to the company because my face is in the certifications. I send the emails. I'm on the, on the groups. I send the emails, my signature. I don't, I, I stop this Edpuzzle team. I'm like, no, team is not a person. I'm the person it needs to be face and my signature.

And they say, fine. And I put Superman, smiley face. So that was the thing is the. I make people feel, like. This not has to be serious. Okay. It's the, are you feeling supported? if you have an issue, me, right. It's the, you know exactly who to contact. And that's when it was the, we make people feel heard, seen, valued because that is, they formed this loyalty to the person.

And there so far is. Happens to, to use the tool a hundred percent. What happened with Flipgrid? 'cause it's the, that friendship that we develop didn't, you know, it didn't happen over time. It was, it was years of back and forth doing things with them and projects, that Do you feel this like, they care about me?

It's not me as a, as a teacher that, oh, I need you to promote all this, is like, how can I help you that. You cannot measure. I says like, do you want me to give you a graph of how many pictures I take, how many hugs I give? Because I can, like, that doesn't make any sense. And, and he was just looking at me and I was like, you know, after venting, you know, with Jess and Ann is like, we measure in love.

You cannot measure this. He looks at me and he laughs. He's just like, yeah, that, that's not gonna work. And I said, listen, here is what, this is why emotions are important. A person will buy a house solely in how that space makes them feel. Same thing goes with a car, with an outfit, with makeup, like emotions matter and it attached to money.

And he just looks at me and goes like, well, we're gonna have to find a way to measure this. And then two years later, you know, all these stories happened that sales says, how does Manny does this? We need to get into a district. And somehow he knows a friend of a friend of a friend, and we get a contact and boom, we get it in.

And he started going to the conferences with me and he is like, how do you make people do what you want? It's like, it's just fun. It's like, okay, here's what we're gonna do. Are you gonna post like this? This is gonna be a song. Are you ready? Boom. And they do it. Yeah, let's come on. Let's have fun. And so in this company wide meeting, he is like, we measure in love and, and, you know, and, and numbers.

He 

Cate Tolnai: gets it.

MannyDiscoTech: And he's just like, he gets it. And I was like, I started crying and it's the, because I'm gonna cry again. And, and, and he gets it. He's just like, you're right. It, it cannot be, Okay, I'm gonna tell you this story. I don't, I don't, I don't have permission from this person to say their name, but you're gonna find out who it's, the biggest success story I have is it was Jornea and I in this events that we had in ISTE and I had no idea who she was talking to.

And I will, 'cause I get anxiety. People think I am not a shy person. I am very shy. I have to push myself out there just to be the act. I love it, but when it comes to personal connections, I am very shy. So I was anxious in my own event, so I went and latched to Jornea. She was talking to this lady and I.

You know, conversation and I, I pushed her 'cause she was like, Hey, what do you do? What do you teach? She's like, not a teacher. I'm like, oh, as a coach. She says, no. I'm like, oh Lord, admin, I don't talk to admin. It makes me nervous. She says, no. I was like, well, what do you do? I was like, I am director of technology of LA Unified.

I was like,

oh,

oh, I know who you are.

Cate Tolnai: We all

MannyDiscoTech: I was like, did I just push you ever? Right. I'm like, did I just push you? But it, it was the fact that the main intention of me talking to her, it was like, how can I help you? How can I do this? We started talking in like Spanish and things like, you want some Mexican candy?

I have my fanny pack. She's like, who? Who are you?

Cate Tolnai: Oh,

MannyDiscoTech: So it's the, she only responds emails to Kim. She responded to my email and I told sales, this is why. Community matters because I don't care if they buy or not. I care about how can I help you and how can I help you Teachers. That is my main intent is the making them feel like.

You can use this platform because it is the most fantastic way to, you know, to get data from teachers. I love it. I use it every day, but I, my friends tell me, don't teach me something that I'm gonna end up loving and then buy it. That is a sales pitch. Don't do that to me. So it's like, the way we have this freemium is you can get free storage by using the referral code.

So. Use it. There's a way for you to continue to use it for free and then let the school pay for it. Let the district pay for it. we, I can actually say Edpuzzle does not want the teacher to pay. We want you to use it, and we give you a way to keep getting storage for free. But it's the, you know, that's that why it's like, I, I want you to see how amazing it is.

And I like, do you need storage? I can give it to you. Do you need swag? Do you need this? Like, how can I help you? And it's the, the intention matters. And I said, that's what community is. You know, it's the measuring in love, like how, how can I, how can I help you? So that has been the biggest success is that you got an email response.

I'm like, yep.

Cate Tolnai: Oh yeah.

MannyDiscoTech: So he, the whole thing changed. It's like, let me do what I know how to do because Flipgrid taught me how to do community and it's, this line is like, oh, this is not how you do community. You know, like this, this feeling matters. You know? Like everything I do for my ambassadors is. How would I make them feel?

You know, would this empower them? Would this make them feel this, this and that? And all my, all my decisions are based on emotions. And my boss knows that. He's like, don't talk to Manny 'cause he's gonna want, you know, to do all this, this and that. Like, you know it, you know it. So the, I do the tours, you know, 'cause did the tour and I, I met them through a tour.

Cate Tolnai: it.

MannyDiscoTech: the. I take the sequin jackets. I'm going to Boston in two weeks, three weeks. So it's the, it, it travels, you know, and I'm there to, I'm, I'm the good cop. Sales is, you know the other one?

Cate Tolnai: that. and how smart that's, one, how smart that there was pause, let's actually like we trust Manny. Let's see what this means to him. And 

MannyDiscoTech: Yep. Yep.

Cate Tolnai: is not, just bringing it back to the classroom and the teachers, it's hard, to feel with all the pressure coming on the teachers for all the things they have to do, and. like you said, like you get nervous talking to admin. Like how do you, it, how do you, with, that's all this time you spend in classrooms. How do you get a teacher to feel more comfortable with people coming into their room or an administrator talking to them? teachers reach out to you and ask you those questions? You are so available,

MannyDiscoTech: they don't, but

Cate Tolnai: and so I just wonder like what are the things that teachers come and talk to you about if they don't ask you that?

MannyDiscoTech: well, usually it is like, you know, how do, because you know, I. I'm the community person for Edpuzzle. There's always about Edpuzzle, but my friends, my personal friends, they're like, how do I do this? How do I do that? And I do give my 2 cents. Like, listen, when I, I used to be the person who will do walkthroughs in, classrooms for technology purposes, and they all just get all nervous.

I'm like, why?

Cate Tolnai: Yeah,

MannyDiscoTech: So that is when, when I was talking to several people, it's like,

Cate Tolnai: like.

MannyDiscoTech: right, was like, did you realize that the people that work in the admin building, they haven't been in the classroom in a long time, and they need to feel like, okay, I wrote this lesson, yes, but I need to see if this is working the way in my, you know, my brain thought it would work.

So they're there for that reason. They're not, they're not there to judge you. They're like judging the work that they're doing through you

it's a reflection on them now, I mean. Granted, some people will, do, you know what, the judging and things? Yes. But for the majority of the time, they're there to see, is this lesson working or is it not working?

Does it need to tweet, tweak it? they're also looking for like, oh my God, this person is fantastic. I, I would need to go and see it. My principal love being inside the classrooms because it's this. The environment, the, the, you see the kid, the conversation, the, the energy, the, this is fantastic. You know that, that energy, like we, we need that.

'cause we don't get that in the district building

Cate Tolnai: right? You have to get out of the

MannyDiscoTech: sometimes.

Cate Tolnai: remember what

MannyDiscoTech: Yep,

Cate Tolnai: Totally.

MannyDiscoTech: yep. So it's the, on my travels. It's super sad to see that. Teachers feel that they don't do a good enough job. They'll feel like, oh, I'm just doing this, but you know, somebody else can do it better. I was like, girl, the fact that you're questioning that, that, that you're thinking, can I do this better?

Like, there's a lot of people that don't, that people, you know, when I started teaching, they told me, you have to read this. I'm like, I'm not reading this. Are you sure? It's a script. This is, I'm watching the morning show. Now again, it is like, this is not a TV show. You have to look at the Keith's eyes to see like, is it working?

You know, but it's the, I don't know. I feel I. The teachers need to see their success stories based on how their kids are doing. How is the culture? Are your kids helping each other? Are they asking you questions? Are, do their eyes feel like, Ooh, I got this kind of thing? Because you do not need a walkthrough or a checklist or an email saying, good job, because the teacher's the only one that knows what is happening in the classroom all the time.

The struggles that kids are going through, the five minute walkthrough you got, like, they have no idea. They don't know the kids the same, the same way. So that feedback and that positive reassurance needs to come from your people, which are your students. They're the ones who tell you, this is fantastic because I know what to do and if I don't know what to do, then when I ask someone else, because I feel safe asking my friend, Hey, help me with this.

While the teacher is pulling small groups and doing, you know, all the things with the other students. It's the culture. Like if you do that, this is fantastic.

Cate Tolnai: And I.

MannyDiscoTech: And it's, it, it really right.

Cate Tolnai: I was gonna say like that cultural piece, like it takes time. Those kids are feeling safe, they feel supported. You've ma, you've modeled it. You as the teacher have modeled it. that's one of the things that I would tell teachers all the time is like, are you connecting with the other teachers, do the students see you connecting with the other teachers? do they understand that you are a part of needing all of this? And one of the things I'll tell teachers too is be a learner with your students. Like it is okay to say, oh, I don't know. let's find that out together.

Like I, I used to give one of my back at 2010, 2011 when Google was like, when all the Google apps were dropping. And, I would, one of my classroom jobs was like, to look it up when I have a question. Like they would be on their laptop and I'd be like, Hey can you look up that question?

I'm not sure what the answer is. And he'd be like the researcher for the day and

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah,

Cate Tolnai: It's grounding, right? It really is.

MannyDiscoTech: I think it's modeling to see like, okay, when I don't know something like teachers don't know everything. What should I do? We're modeling that for students. because, well, I just did a, a session for OTAN, adult learning, it's like, it's the same thing even with adults. Like when you get a stuck, like what do you do?

You, you have the internet to help you with all the things. So if you don't have the internet, 'cause like little kids can't really read. You have a plethora of students around you who was like, okay, how can help me with this? But is finding help on your own. Because that skill is going to help you throughout your own life.

So if, if, if you can build that from the very beginning, like they will, they will. Thank you for that. So it's the.

Cate Tolnai: Manny, what you said about the administrators are coming in to see if they're, if they're succeeding through your success. Like the assumption that like you're being observed because the administrator wants to see you succeed. I think that's a real mental shift that teachers could think hard about because like I've spent the last 15 months looking, interviewing for jobs, and I use ChatGPT to help me prepare for my interviews.

And I'll say, alright ChatGPT, ask me one que one interview question at a time. I'm gonna give you my response and then tell me how I did. that's me practicing for my interviews. And one of the things it told me, which like, Hey, thanks AI is just remember like interviewer wants you to succeed and get this job.

Like they're not interviewing you 'cause they don't you like.

MannyDiscoTech: Exactly. Exactly.

Cate Tolnai: that about teachers, like you're being observed because you're wanted and supported. Like it's not a Gotcha. I hope most of the time, right?

MannyDiscoTech: Most of the time, like granted, there's gonna be times, but I, I feel like, okay, you saw this, like, what do you think I should do better? And whatever advice they give you, it's up to the teacher to say like, yeah, this applies, or like this person has no idea what I'm doing. And that's also okay. You know, like I had, so I, I'm gonna put this in the book that I'm writing.

Cate Tolnai: gonna talk

MannyDiscoTech: I, oh my god. Okay. I see we are so in sync. There was this, this coach, curriculum coach. I was always the, the, the, the, the lone wolf. I was gonna say the, the black wolf, black sheep, English. Anyways, the loner, they, ugh, Manny's gonna do use technology. Ugh. Manny's doing this. Manny's do that. It's like, listen, it works okay.

Not for everything. Not for every 'cause it is not a babysitter. I need to be like, this is actually, it's going to make the lesson better. Okay. So I read this, this poetry lesson. I'm like, Gerba, this is like. No, I'm gonna ask my students, look with your poetic eyes to the ceiling and tell me what you see.

You know, they're gonna tell me squares, squares. No, no, duh. I was like, girl, bye. So I brought up in the meeting and she's like, I, who wrote this? And the coach was like, I did. I'm like, okay, well this is what I'm gonna be doing. You know, it's the, you know, your students. I was in a Title I, the Title I of title i's of schools in my district.

It is. So there's no way my bilingual students were going to be able to do this lessons. 'cause it's like this is way too advanced. So I broke it down and I used songs. The Greatest Showman was a thing back there, back then. And I was, we were analyzing the lyrics. My kids cry, so it's the whoop, right? If you make them feel emotions through words and teaching metaphors.

It's hard in second grade it's hard, but they, yes, yes. But you have to break it down in ways that they get it, you know, like giving examples. And that's why I use Edpuzzle to divide my kids into groups and, and, and kids that can handle, you know, bigger words or how much I have to break it down because it's not about the reading level or, you know, you're my high kid or my kid that needs more struggle.

They're different depending on the skill that you're looking for. but even people that write curriculum, they write it for the entire district. Okay? So it is not always gonna be the lesson that they're giving you. You need to know how and when to modify it to meet the needs of your students. And this is nothing new.

We say it all the time, but do it, like actually do it. Not just say like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. And if they give you feedback, I say, listen, I did what I thought it was the best for my students, and the scores will speak. And they did.

Cate Tolnai: done.

MannyDiscoTech: My principle is like, I can't say anything because scores are fantastic.

So it is the the like, listen, it works. You know, like, but it's, it, it's how much passion you put into you, you what you're doing, which. The majority of these teachers put the passion in there. It's the, the fear of getting caught in doing something they're not supposed to. I'm like, who cares? And yes, I messed up a couple of times, but you live and learn and you tell the students, I am so sorry.

I thought this question was not gonna be in the test. We didn't cover. 'cause I thought it was not important. Sorry, sorry. Now I know. You know. but it's the, I, they needed more help with other, other things. And I spend the time and I'm like, whoops.

Oopsies. So yes, you are gonna mess up

Cate Tolnai: yeah.

MannyDiscoTech: and that's fine,

Cate Tolnai: Totally

MannyDiscoTech: I owe it to my students.

Cate Tolnai: that's the humanity, that's the piece that like

MannyDiscoTech: yep.

Cate Tolnai: makes you relatable and makes you, makes them feel safer, I think. Okay. Tell some,

MannyDiscoTech: It is a, it, it's a feeling. Don't think that teachers know everything and you're like the, the sage and the state that you, you, you know all, I'm like, no, you're human. They need to see you as human. They need to see that. If you record your videos, which I hope teachers record your videos, they, they don't, they don't need to be perfect because their videos that they make are not gonna be perfect.

They need to see that you, you cough that you'd be like, do like, oh Lord, I did videos and I'm eating tacks, and like, oh, my fingers are red. Or like, oh my gosh, I'm so excited. You know, it needs to be real because they're gonna feel like, oh, I can be myself. Like bring as you are. That's what they need to see.

so.

Cate Tolnai: okay. Before we talk about your book, I just, this is like a curiosity I have, so I taught. My first year in New York City, Mid-City Manhattan, actually Hell's Kitchen, and I was at a continuation high school, so I just, I had kids from all the boroughs come in and they were the kids that the next step was basically juvenile hall.

Like they, so it was a very high needs experience. My first year teaching, then I taught

MannyDiscoTech: now.

Cate Tolnai: la which was, charter school, and I taught there for four years. And super, just vulnerable neighborhood, vulnerable families, high needs, all the things, and multilingual. I am not fluent in any language besides English, though I can, I can, be dangerous with Spanish. but, I was making connections with those families back 2003 to 2008, when I was in two school settings. The language posed such a barrier to building relationships with the kids the families, and as a young teacher, I felt like I just felt so lost because I desperately wanted to support and communicate in the language that they were most comfortable, but I couldn't. And the story you told about fanny pack with Mexican candy and being able to talk Spanish with somebody and like the way that your bilingual, are you bilingual speak Spanish and

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah, my Spanish is my first language. Yes.

Cate Tolnai: but I was making sure there wasn't any other magical language you speak besides love.

Besides love of

MannyDiscoTech: Oh, no, no, no, no.

fluent in love. Yes.

Cate Tolnai: I am too. so That is a superpower that I don't think gets truly enough attention, especially when you're talking Title one schools and you're talking about these vulnerable neighborhoods and these kids that wanna be seen and wanna see themself in products and see themself in curriculum. So I don't know if do you see that as your superpower too? are, do you acknowledge that or, I don't know.

MannyDiscoTech: I, I, I would, you know, when I was a teacher, I didn't think that was a superpower. I thought like, I'm just doing what I think is best. You know, I, I used to get, so I think angry was the word. I was like disappointed and upset at, at students. And I said, listen, you have it very good right now. Like your parents have two jobs, some of them three jobs because they want to give you a better life.

You. They were first graders.

Cate Tolnai: babies.

MannyDiscoTech: will be learning how to read and write in English because you will be the one translating for your parents. Do you want to work with your brain or do you wanna work with your hands? And I te I gave them like it was something really heavy. Like what do you wanna work with a pencil?

What? Or you know, like tools or things like things that you use your hands with because you're gonna make more money if you work with your brain.

Cate Tolnai: Wow.

MannyDiscoTech: And they were just looking at me and says, the fact that you need to be translated and given your parents, you know. The support when they're older, that's gonna be on you.

And I was like putting all this like in the, because they need to, the kids are like, what? I was, do you wanna go to Disney World or what Because I, I used to go to Disney World every year 'cause I, that recharges my teacher energy. my classroom was. Disney World, everything. I was like, do you wanna go to Disney World?

Do you wanna be, do you wanna be a YouTuber? You wanna be an influencer? You wanna do all these things? You have to learn how to read and write and have conversations and do all these things because you need to be helping the, your parents, because they're doing all this for you and to give you a better life.

And they, they believed it because of, because the way I said it, oh my God, for Star, star is our test test, like, te. Texas State Testing. It was, I was in third grade and I was like, I was stressing because this is the only year that I taught third grade where they have like test testing and my best friend was coaching me into how to, how to do a good job.

This district was. Stressing me out. So I'm like, I'm gonna meditate because I'm stressed out. The kids are stressed out. So I taught them how to breathe and how to meditate. it was five minutes, very worth it. The last day when we were like there, I was very anxious. I was feeling like they're gonna be the same thing.

Like, what can I do to make them feel like they could do it, they could do it. I like, what do I do? What I would do? I was like, for some reason I thought, Ooh, Braveheart. I was like, did you, I, I picture,

Cate Tolnai: your face?

MannyDiscoTech: I, no, I, I thought like, I should be the one like going like, yeah, we're gonna bring our bat. We're gonna do it.

We're gonna be successful. So I look at them and I started yelling at then it was like, and they look at me. I'm like, he has lost it. He has definitely lost it. And I said, I said, are you ready to take this test? And the kids go, yeah. I, it is like, you are gonna be so good. You gonna learn how to breathe.

And I remember blah, blah. The kids were like, yeah, I had so many people just show up in my classroom. Like, what happened? I'm like, I'm getting them ready. Are you guys ready? Like normal voice? 'cause like Yep, we're ready.

Cate Tolnai: Babies. Oh my God.

MannyDiscoTech: Is like. Trust your gut. It's like if you feeling anxious, most likely your students are feeling the same way and they need to be like, whatever.

I said listen, but they don't know at that point. But like, 45, 50 is a passing grade. I'm like, it's fine. It's fine. So the one student that failed throughout the school year and they said, I am tired of failing. He passed. And I called him during the summer and I was like, oh my gosh. Your son passed and I talked to him and it was like, the best feeling look up

Cate Tolnai: Oh.

MannyDiscoTech: is the, you need to make your, your students feel that they can do hard things.

Because if they believe it, if you believe they can believe it, oh, see, English doesn't work with me. They will too. And they'll do it for you, which is not what we want. We want it to do for them, but you, they need to have someone that believes in them.

Cate Tolnai: I love it.

MannyDiscoTech: See, I told you I wasn't gonna cry,

Cate Tolnai: Is this the right

MannyDiscoTech: so

Cate Tolnai: to

MannyDiscoTech: just

Cate Tolnai: Since you're already

MannyDiscoTech: Yes.

Yeah, I, I started writing, during the pandemic, just like. I just keep feeling all this negativity and all this stress, and I'm like, I feel that I need to just put it in words. And the pandemic has been a, you know, a few years. I'm like, I am no one. At that point, I wasn't, with Edpuzzle I was at, at, at the coach, I was like, you know what, even if I have self-publish, it's fine.

Whatever. I'm gonna do it for myself. and I started writing, writing, writing, writing. And then I got this job with Edpuzzle and I said, I'm writing a book. And they allowed me to eventually publish it and you know, the whole thing. And I continued and eventually I got signed with Dave Burgess

Cate Tolnai: Oh, I

MannyDiscoTech: and I'm like, I was like, what? Me? I was talking to Jess. It is like they, I am the diversity hire. They don't have a fat gay Mexican in their repertoire and they just need, she's like, you need to stop it. And it's like, we, we, we, none of none of us. And I think like teachers, we all feel like we're not good enough that we see.

I see like Matt Miller, Stacy Roshan, and I go, because those are, and, and Becky King, those are the ones that I talked to. She's like, you just need talk to Dave. I'm like, Dave doesn't even know who I am. 

Cate Tolnai: Dave was on this podcast

MannyDiscoTech: now he does.

Cate Tolnai: Yeah. I interviewed Dave and Tisha. Yeah.

MannyDiscoTech: oh my gosh. So they, they supported me and was like, of course you gotta do this. And now is this,

Cate Tolnai: This is your manifesto.

MannyDiscoTech: is. So I said, picture this. Chicken Soup for the teacher's soul. I'm writing stories of what happened to me and how we're going to make this connection with a current teacher because yes, I have this fantastic job that is global, but it doesn't have to be like a teacher can do the same thing.

'cause your global influence is your classroom and it could be your school. You know, it's the how I tell you this fancy story that I have and then I make this connection with you and then it's like, okay, here is what I think. Can help you with this, this, and that, and it's just the giver of advice is up to them.

So I was following this, I do. We do. And now you do. Right? So all the stories, 'cause I'm not teaching anything. 'cause like here's, there's a story about this. Here's a story about admin, here's a story about my principal, you know, and then how you can make connections and feel relatable, you know, to it.

Because one of the, one of the chapters is, you and I are also different. Like I am insecure as anyone else. I don't think that what I do is anything fantastic. I feel that obviously, like people tell me like, oh my gosh, I can't believe you did that. I'm like, who cares? Just do it. Like my Instagram is full of silly things and it is just like, just do it.

You know? Like do it for the, for the teachers, it for the kids, for like, it's just, just trust it and if you have fun, everyone has, well have fun and, and the biggest thing is. Give people an experience in where they're learning. So that that is the essence of the book. I thought the title will be Teaching in a Discotech and now I'm like,

Cate Tolnai: Oh really?

MannyDiscoTech: I don't know.

Yeah. Because one of the chapters is the "Battle of the Sequin: Heart versus Data," and Dave is like, I love that that needs to be the title. So I was like, okay. I don't know. I don't know. But honestly, like, I think Heart and Love and just measuring in love hashtag better together is. It is the circle of everything and that to like, don't, don't use just one.

I mean, I know I work for Edpuzzle, but it's like it's teachers don't use just one thing. Students don't use just one thing. I think like teach 'em one thing at a time, by all means. Yes. But give teachers choice. Give students choice to say like, oh, I need to show you how, characters change from chapter to chapter.

Internally. No problem. Tell 'em. Okay. What are you gonna do? Boom, right? So do a video, do a podcast, do a a slides, do an infographic. Do like, do do it, get it out. Do it on your own. If you wanna do your besties. And sometimes, you know what, I feel this way because she look at me weird. I don't wanna work with you to right now, you know, adults do the same thing, just have to be right.

Give them the choice, because that will do. Better things like that. And then they feel this, oh my gosh, this person did this, this thing. I'm like, I'm, I'm gonna do something better. And then they push themselves to do better things on their own that has nothing to do with this. And is this feeling successful of discovering learning on their own that we don't do because we feel like we have to chew it up and then give it to them.

Cate Tolnai: like baby birds.

MannyDiscoTech: need to figure that out.

Cate Tolnai: throw up in

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah. Yep. Watch 'em struggle a little bit. You know, they don't want 'em struggle and to the point they're like, I can do it. But that's why like we, we, we help them, but they need to do it on their own because that's gonna help them more when they're adults. So that I started in first grade, so don't be telling me like they can't do it

Cate Tolnai: I'm so excited to

MannyDiscoTech: they can.

Cate Tolnai: like that you're working with Dave and this is coming together. I like mostly, I'm just excited to read it. Like when does it come out? When, what's the timeline?

MannyDiscoTech: Oh my God. So I've been working for this for like four, four years. And so, and then I'm reading it and I'm like, it feels patchy. 'cause I, I pick it up, then I write and then I, and then I stop and then I write again. And, yeah, it's, ah. I'm redoing it. 'cause like I have a different perspective now. You know, it's been so long and I'm highly ADHD so I was, you know, my friend, Katie McNamara, she said, right.

Like,

Cate Tolnai: my

MannyDiscoTech: oh, we speak the same language. She's like, it's very common with ADHD people to be like, okay, this is taking too long. I'm not interested, and you drop it. I'm like, I have a deal with Dave. I'm like, I'm not just dropping this. I am pushing myself to do it. In my mind, I'm like, who wants to, who is interested in, in, you know, reading what I wanna say?

You know, I'm like, I, I get that inner saboteur out of my brain and I said, I'm writing in a language that is not my own. It is hard. This has been the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm doing it because it is very easy to say it's technology. It's so easy, do this and that. So. Again, very easy for a techy person to say, do this.

Just like a math person says, math is easy. It is not easy. I am not a math person. It's hard. So I'm putting myself in teachers, you know, shoes is like I am, this English thing is hard, very hard. Yet I'm doing it and having all this emotions, this battle, you know? that's, that's, that's, that's how I did my, my book pitch.

I, I told, Dave this, I want teachers to see that me coming to this country not knowing English and them not knowing technology or you know how to do the flip learning, do it, is like we are the same. We both have struggles. We both wanna be like, I know how to do, you know, the old fashioned way. I like that is a lot easier, but like, nope.

It's the, you gotta do it for your students because that's what they need. They need ways for them to feel in, you know, attached to the content. Just not lectures. 'cause when I was an adult, I, you know, in college, like, wait, what could you slow down? Why, what? She said I had go to a restroom and I can't leave because I'm gonna miss this.

And, and there's like so many words that I couldn't understand.

Cate Tolnai: Manny. Yeah.

MannyDiscoTech: And I did the same thing to my students because again, that's the only way I knew how to do. And, Jake Miller said this, just like you do the best you can. Oh, I mean, it's not him, but it is Maya Angelou, but I learned it, you know, the quote, thanks to him.

You do the best you can until you know better. And then when you know better, you do better. And it is like, okay. And I just Google, you know, fun classrooms and I'm like, Ooh, classrooms with a boat, with race desks. What is this? That is how I discover flexible learn, teaching. I have no idea what it was.

And then that lead me into Twitter and doing all the things just like what is flipped learning. So I taught my everything myself. Again, a lone wolf. My campus was not techie. It was very hard, but people need to know. There's a technology team in your district. There are techie people in your, in your schools.

Reach out to them and reach out like people on socials and we all help you, you know, better together. don't be the lone wolf because it is a lot harder to do it on your own. So it's just. We all wanna help. And the people were like, here's the lesson, here's all the links, here's all the things, you know.

so I, I try to do that for, for, for the community. 'cause it was very, very hard to not be techie when I wanted it to be.

Cate Tolnai: Yeah. I, think what's so amazing about your journey, like there's so many nuggets that I'm taking away from this conversation. but I love the parallel you're drawing between feeling othered because of language, because of tech skills, because now AI, like I've always noticed this professional learning gap and there's the, there's, there really is if there's, two mountains, there's that valley in the middle.

And

MannyDiscoTech: Yep.

Cate Tolnai: watched this for so many years that like I, so much to be said about districts and companies and. Anybody who will pay attention to the people over here that haven't made that jump yet. And I think it's easy to sit on this side and just keep giving and giving to the people that are taking and taking. But the differentiator, like the true quality difference is when you see an organization or a school district or a company go, but what about them? how do we get them? Because for every teacher that stays on this side of that valley, it's students that aren't gonna get it. It's an equity issue.

And those kids aren't gonna get access

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah.

Cate Tolnai: the tools they need. And I think after this conversation, what I'm understanding is that. A tool that we can't overlook is that community is gonna bring those people along. And if we start with the community, if we start with building trust and safety and then we're gonna close that gap sooner than we realize.

And I thank you for giving me that. I didn't have that before today. I really didn't. And you are a gift.

MannyDiscoTech: Oh,

Cate Tolnai: you're such a gift.

MannyDiscoTech: thank you.

Cate Tolnai: oh my God. I just, I feel so emotional and I cannot, I mean it like, I can't wait to read your book and so grateful that you, that we were able to record this and that we get to give the world a little bit more.

Manny, and thank you.

MannyDiscoTech: I think like the, the, if you all, 'cause it was a lot of info, like the one line that has helped me throughout this journey. when I went to district office, my friend, she always says, be curious, be curious, but it's hard 'cause language, right? So my friend Michael Wesley, he says, help me understand blank.

And, but like, honestly make, don't make it sound like you're like being sarcastic, but it's the, help me understand how you see this, this and that, or how can I do this? That has opened so many doors for me because you're just like, how do I do this? It works with anything. So that line, like, if you don't get any of the things that we said, help me understand.

Cate Tolnai: and

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah. So. Yeah. Because it's like, yeah, well how do you do this? Yeah. 'cause that doesn't go anywhere. Instagram has helped me a lot, but yeah. yeah. Marco Polo, we, Marco Polo a lot. Michael and I, oh, he call it my mother. I, oh,

Cate Tolnai: I forgot about

MannyDiscoTech: you gotta have some vents. Ooh, yeah. Jess and I, Marco Polo like almost every day.

Cate Tolnai: one.

MannyDiscoTech: Those are dangerous Marco videos.

Cate Tolnai: That sounds like another episode.

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah. Yeah. Well, well, thank you for having me. This is, I see. I was so nervous and it's,

Cate Tolnai: you just,

MannyDiscoTech: a great, this is a really long conversation. I love it. I, I lost track of time.

Cate Tolnai: it. so did I, and that's, those are the best ones, my friend.

MannyDiscoTech: Yes.

Cate Tolnai: for, being you. And, we'll put all of your contact information in the show notes. else you wanna drop in the show notes about Edpuzzle, we'll do all that, but, I mean it when I say you are a gift and, have just keep giving.

you, Manny.

MannyDiscoTech: Yeah, I, I joke, I give everything I have to, to the, like, I'm so grateful, like, honestly, like taught me so much. I'm always forever grateful is I want to feel, I wanna make teachers feel the same way. I felt, you know, when that community was alive, and that is the purpose of my community that I'm building

the same thing.

It's. It builds bonds and friendships. And when I know someone is in this steep circles of flip is like, what do you need? I don't need to know you. It is like a hundred percent I, I like drop what I'm doing. Oh, you love fifth grade? Like, how can I help you? It's that bond you can't find. It's the Ah. So yeah.

Cate Tolnai: keep on doing it.

MannyDiscoTech: Love trusting.

Cate Tolnai: Manny. Thank you.

MannyDiscoTech: Bye,

Cate Tolnai: Thank you.

MannyDiscoTech: Bye.