Jeni Long reflects on her 25-year journey in education, from classroom teaching to edtech leadership and community building. She shares how her collaboration with Sallee Clark led to the creation of the Jenallee Show, their co-authored Microsoft Teams Playbook, and opportunities to connect educators worldwide through the Microsoft community.
Jeni discusses her transition into the edtech industry with MagicSchool, emphasizing authenticity, relationships, and trust as keys to meaningful impact. Throughout the conversation, she highlights the importance of community, embracing change, and staying true to one’s strengths while supporting others.
Jeni is a seasoned educator with over 25 years of experience in the field and holds a Master's degree in Educational Technology. She is a respected EdTech speaker, consultant, and author dedicated to providing unwavering support for teachers both in and out of the classroom. Jeni empathizes with the daily challenges educators face and is committed to offering guidance, resources, and encouragement to help them succeed.
As an Account Executive at MagicSchool AI, Jeni’s focus is on ensuring that every teacher using the platform feels supported, motivated, and empowered to positively impact their students' lives. She believes in the power of collaboration and understands that collective efforts among educators can create magic in the classroom. Jeni is actively involved in organizing events, delivering professional development, fostering community growth, and building partnerships with Texas school districts.
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Cate Tolnai (she/her): Jeni, this is an honor and a privilege and, um, all the things that I wanna say to somebody who has made community like their livelihood. And that is you, Ms. Thing, Ms. Jeni. So thank you for what you do. And tell, let, let's, let's go there. What do you do? Who are you, what do you do? I mean, we'll have your bio in the show notes, but like, what's your story?
Jeni Long: Well, thank you Cate. First of all, I just appreciate the opportunity you'd like to be included in this, um, incredible experience. So, um, I am a 25 year educator and I taught for 10 years math and ELA and mostly in North Texas area. Um, spent a little ti. Fourth through sixth. Well, seventh I did one year of seventh.
Um, most of my experience was in an elementary school, like the sixth grade was still part of elementary, which I prefer. 'cause I think they're just still young-minded. And then when I went to the middle school, I was like, whoa, now they're the babies on campus. And they're like, there's a lot of eighth graders and things they, you know, I'm like, no, no, you're not.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): like I taught middle school for 10 years and yeah, like you see, especially those sixth graders, man, they're still little babes.
Jeni Long: They are, they are. So, um, I love that. Um, but I always had a passion for technology. I was, um, actually taught in a tech inspired classroom. That's kind of when, like
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Oh,
Jeni Long: PowerPoints were becoming a thing and, you know, having your warmup on, on the computer, you know, a, a mold. So it, it dates myself, but, um.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): I'm in my 24th year, so no, we are, we are of the same. Wait, am I in the 24th? 22nd, whatever. I'm right there with you.
Jeni Long: We just wiser, right? We just have more experiences to help us. Um. Grow and ad adapt and influence others. So, um, yeah, so I actually had an opportunity. I, I moved around quite a bit in my career and so each, each time was just an opportunity to advance into a new technology role. Um, here in the DFW area, I spent time in Rockwall, Garland, Forney, and I ended up getting my master's in instructional technology, um, while I was at Forney.
ISD. And so that really just kind of sparked that, that tech integration piece. And I just, for 15 years I did that in curriculum, a little bit of time of in curriculum when I was in Tennessee. But just always loved the opportunity to be in the classroom with students, which is really where my heart is.
And, and co-teaching with the teacher or collaborating with them and, um, just getting to see students with that light bulb moment. And as a mom of four, I also was a little selfish in the fact that it let me spend time in my own personal children's classrooms as well. So, um, it was the best of both worlds
Cate Tolnai (she/her): so,
Jeni Long: sure.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): if you, if anybody like Google's Jeni Long, you will come across Jenallee and Sallee is your partner in crime. And I wanna know, can we just start with that? Like how you guys got to know each other and that backstory? I'm dying, I wanna know all of it.
Jeni Long: Yeah. Yeah, it really was really the key turning point into, I think just, um. You know, uh, progressing my career as well. And so we had just moved back from Tennessee and we moved on the Fort Worth side of the DFW area. And so I got a job in Eagle Mountain, Saginaw, ISD as a, as a tech coach. Uh, um, you know, there's so many different technology integration specialists, all the different names.
Uh, so Sallee and I started on the first day together and instantly became best friends and just realized we had a lot of the same passions in life and goals. She was a former librarian as well and or was, I wasn't a librarian, but um, so she was a former librarian, but she had also, I had attended many conferences, you know, throughout my journey, but as an attendee where she had been more on the, on the front presenting side.
So together, we just started presenting at conferences and then we found as we were working with teachers in our district that. We were going all over the district, and at the time there was probably 20 something campuses. Now there's about 30. But we were just, one teacher would have a question, then we'd go to another campus and they would have the same question.
So we were like, you know what, we, we should work smarter here and let's form a YouTube channel and, and start making some fun YouTube videos and, and making it fun and gamifying it and bringing on like guests, which were our teachers. So we'd go in a teacher's classroom and
Cate Tolnai (she/her): my God.
Jeni Long: um, you know, just. Ask them their question and then we would make a video.
And so we realized if we can impact this one teacher, we're probably gonna be able to impact others across the district. But then it started growing and we started realizing, realizing our impact was becoming more like nationwide and globally. So that was really inspiring.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): out? How did you, like, what was that turning point where you're like, oh, snap, we actually have an audience.
Jeni Long: Well, we. We were very, um, involved in the Microsoft community and so as an MIE expert, um, we would meet up at conferences, you know, at and FETC and TCEA and we would always have a summit right before the main conference. And so it was just a time to, to get together and meet people that we had been collaborating with online.
And I'll never forget the day we met the eTwinz. So they're twins that, um, are from Spain and they were here, um, teaching in Utah. And so we had collaborated online and got to know each other, but then when we met in person at the Microsoft event, you know, I, it was just that, that meme of you run and you hug and you're like, oh my gosh, you know, we're finally meeting.
And so just meeting people in person, like the Microsoft community became family. Like truly, I have people all over the world that I call family, and I know I can go to the UK because we, we then. And this is, we can talk about this too, but we actually went to BETT and we presented, um, in London a couple times in the Microsoft booth,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): So amazing.
Jeni Long: connected with the UK Microsoft community.
So I have, you know, just a, just a wealth of knowledge and connections from that networking opportunity from Microsoft that in our husband's joke, they're like, you don't really have you call them friends. I'm like, no, they really are friends. I know I could go anywhere in the world. Someone would pick me up at the airport.
They would probably let me stay in their house like. It's just truly, um, it becomes a family. So it, it was, it was incredible. So we started realizing once we, we started increasing our social media, you know, we made our YouTube channel, um, it progressed into, during COVID, we started getting on TikTok, you know, and just.
Really, um, came up with our branding and Sallee is also a marketing major, so, you know, the brand and the name, you know, really became a thing. And so we became like feature presenters at, at conferences and just, you know, we're kinda living life and doing our thing and, you know, just spreading, um, tech integration and fun tips and tricks and ideas and making it fun.
I think that was, that was the key too.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): that so true? Like, if we are
Jeni Long: Mm-hmm.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): as presenters or teacher, like our people, our, our, our learners, whether they're little or big, they're having fun too, because that's, I just feel like life's short. We must all have fun. It is the joy at the center of what we do and we just need to like, kind of carve, carve that out sometimes.
'cause there are moments that don't feel so joyful and. And our, our relationships. I really feel like get us through that. And so now I love hearing that backstory about Sallee and, and I I'm curious, like how did it eventually get to book deal where you guys, you know, put, co-authored a book and I co-authored a book as well in 2019 and I know I have an idea of the journey that happens the year after you write the book.
So tell me about that part.
Jeni Long: Yeah, it just kind of was something on our bucket list. We had, you know, we had our, our, um, kind of our, our YouTube show. We started doing these things. We started presenting. We're like, what's next? You know, let's, let's. Write a book and we, she was a huge, she loved to blog and so she was blogging all the time.
And so she just, I learned so much from her. And so she's basically like, we could just make a book out of our blogs, you know, and just write about the things we do. But we both have children with dyslexia and Microsoft has been a, just a game changer, um, with my daughter now who's actually, uh, getting her doctorate in physical therapy at Mary Harden, Baylor.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): How, in the, how in the world is she 16 and getting your doctorate? Like how does that happen? First of
Jeni Long: Oh my gosh,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): what she's getting her doctorate. That's.
Jeni Long: she's 22. Yes, she has just, and when we moved to Tennessee, they didn't have the supports for dyslexia, so I just had to. To work really hard as a mom and advocate for her. And then when we moved back to Texas, Microsoft, that, fortunately we were in a school that, you know, used Microsoft and so she was just able to use OneNote and immersive reader and just all of the tools to help her.
Um, and so Sallee's son the same, you know, just really, um, being able to, to use your resources and feel successful. And so, you know, I'm just learning that. You learn differently, but finding those tools, you know, to help you succeed. So it, um, in the book we wrote about, uh, moms, you know, of children with dyslexia and how Microsoft, so Microsoft, um, sponsored our book.
Mike Tholfsen, wrote the forward for our book as well. And so he's like my ed tech hero. Um, I have always admired him and it's just, uh, we wrote a conference recently at iste. It was like a full circle moment. Microsoft and Magic School were both sponsoring a happy hour event, and Mike and I were both like, this is so cool together, finally, like, you know, in, in this space.
But, um, yeah, so in the book we write about our, our children, Microsoft, and then. It's called the, the Microsoft Teams Playbook. And so as we were coming into COVID, um, the District, Eagle Mountain Saginaw was using teams for elementary and canvas for secondary. So we kind of took the lead on the teams integration and just had real examples and lessons for teachers to use, um, with partner applications, you know, like Wakelet and Canva and, um, Genially just other products and how you can make lessons in teams.
And so we, we included that, but then we also are huge components of your strengths. And so we did the Strength Finders, um, survey.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Strengths,
Jeni Long: Yes, yes. It's amazing. It's amazing. And I think we did that as a team and it was really eyeopening to see the people on our team and the way they behave. And that's why they act the way they do, and that's why they make the decisions they do.
But it really opened up the mine and Sallee's eyes because we, our strengths complimented each other so well to where I was the um, like. She would have all the creative ideas. She's an ideation and creativity, and so then I'm the executor and the arranger and the achiever. So I would make sure that her ideas, you know, took action and, and were completed.
So
Cate Tolnai (she/her): the
Jeni Long: we started realizing, yeah, it really was. And so we started realizing how we can work. Better together, which also became one of our hashtags. And so we just started like, and you know, instead of like competing, like, I wish I could be as creative as she was. Like she could make something amazing in five minutes and it would take me hours.
And she, um, wasn't the, you know, that. Communication wasn't her strength and it was mine. So she just, we had to go both kind of let go of the things that we knew weren't our strengths and to empower each other to run in the gifts that we had. Um, but that takes a lot of trust too, like to trust, knowing, okay, Jeni's got it, okay, Sallees got it, you know, she's gonna do that.
I'm not gonna pound her about it, you know? And, and, uh, double check. And so anyhow, in the book, we, we write about. Knowing your student strength. And so how can tap into your student strength and how they can work better together? Um.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Um, I think we need to contact strengths finders and have them make strengths finders, EDU. Like, have they done that yet? What is, what is the problem? What is going on?
Jeni Long: Yeah, we actually thought seriously about becoming, um, strength finders coaches, you know, and like going down that route and we looked at it, we just couldn't get the dates to align to, you know, get certified in that. I was like, Ooh, this would be a, a fun thing to do for a living. You know? So, um, it's just, but it, it truly.
Changed. That was probably a life changing moment for us, is when we took that and we realized those were our strengths and it really brought out some, you know, revelation as to how we work and, um, you know, let's, let's work on those and work together and support each other and work toward trying to, you know, perfect other strengths, but tap into the ones that we, we do have and that works so well.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): like, like it also sounds like it came in a time where you guys were able to like step into it with, step into yourself with con like as confident women who were like, no, these are my strengths. And like I think going through that exercise I've, I've had the. I've been on a, a, a journey myself.
I had one supervisor who very first thing, uh, I did on day, literally day one, was strengths finders. And she had, you know, was tracking her team. And then I recently started on another team, and we didn't do strengths finders, but we did like working genius is what we did. But same concept, right, where you just kinda, you just dive into your motivation, what brings you joy, what, what, where your strengths lie.
And then, um, and, and then. The supervisor then? Yeah, well we actually, we all have access to a spreadsheet that has everybody's, um, working geniuses, and so it ends up being really like a helpful tool. Um, that's so amazing. And, and okay, so, so you're now at Magic School and you're now of community. Is that like, what's your title, your com?
Jeni Long: So right now I'm an account executive, so when I first came
Cate Tolnai (she/her): community there. Okay, well you are, but by,
Jeni Long: I was, I was at first. I was at first. Um, and so then.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Okay.
Jeni Long: So, um, our journey at Eagle Mountain, we, we actually, Sallee and I both together, left and went to a neighboring district, Castleberry ISD, which she had worked out before she came to Eagle Mountain. So she kind of ping ponged and went back, and so I went with her.
And so, um, we were there and then it just, you know, things all happened for a reason and she had an opportunity to go work with her husband who is a pastor, um, here in our community. And so she had always helped him with the website and, you know, kind of had been doing a lot of that, but then she had an opportunity to do that full time and help with the children's department.
And so I'm like, that is perfect for you. Um, but it, it was hard. It was like, hit me. I was like, wait, what? You know you're leaving? And so,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): now?
Jeni Long: yeah. So it was, it's like, like a divorce, you know? It was kinda like, what are we gonna do, you know, because it was really almost like a marriage where we had learned to work together so well.
So when she told me she was leaving, I was like, okay, you know what, what, what, what, what's next for me? You know, what could I do? And so, um, I had always kind of had an itch for the vendor side. Um, I thought about textbooks back in the day when I was teaching math. And, um, so as AI was coming on the scene, as a, as a tech integrator, you know, I had to learn every product out there, right?
And making tiktoks and, you know, helping my teachers learn how to use all these.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): all these products, right? Jeni? Like we were like,
Jeni Long: Yeah.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): you knew, they're like sprinkle in some ai and you're like, oh, that's different now. So
Jeni Long: Yeah. Yes. Yes, yes. So as I was learning all of these, I became a member of the magic School community, which are called Pioneers. And so I joined all their calls. Yay. Love it. Um, so I became a part of the community and at the time there were like a handful of people, like, it was like four people, um, running this amazing company.
And so I, um, just started being very active in the community, and so I reached out to Adeel, who's the founder. And Steffi, who was head of marketing and I sent them a Slack message in in my resume and said, I think, I know you don't have a position for this right now, but I think you should hire me to run your community and do your social media and help you get on the conference circuit.
So,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): That is
Jeni Long: yeah,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): And
Jeni Long: so
Cate Tolnai (she/her): you're like, I woke up and it happened. No, come on. What was
Jeni Long: well, so. About two months Adeel was like, we're, you know, a small, scrappy company. We don't really, you know, have, um, the funds for a full-time position, you know, just help us out. 'cause Steffi was drowning. She was, you know, just so much work and she built this amazing, uh, brand. And this, you know, the, our, the marketing was incredible.
And so I just came on to help with, um, the social media and kind of just help her and take some of that in the community piece. So then a couple months in, you know, Adeel calls me and he's like, let's just have a talk. Like, talk to me a little bit about you. Let's get to know each other. And then I'll never forget.
And he said, um, okay, this is my awkward way of offering you a full-time job. And I was like, really? I thought you said you couldn't hire me for like months, you know? And he's like, no, I, I'm ready. And I said, okay, well when do you want me to start? And he is like, tomorrow.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): God.
Jeni Long: I was like, okay, lemme put in my two week notice and, uh, sign me up.
So. It was, uh, it was, it was an, I mean, but at the time I actually had a couple other interviews and so we joke about this too, 'cause he's like, Jeni, I didn't think you were gonna take me up on my offer, you know? And I was like, well, you know, I had to make sure I, I, you know, looked at all my options. But then I had some friends, they were like, Jeni, don't, don't, don't give it up.
You've gotta take this. You know, so it, they literally said, it's a unicorn opportunity. And it truly, truly was. And is, yeah.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): so early that I'm sure that, I mean, that's, that's why I am associating you to the community into this. 'cause I'm at that point you're all wearing all the hats, right? Like
Jeni Long: Yes. Yeah. So I was, so, I, I, um, helped Steffi, we kind of, even Adeel still, we kind of, the three of us were leading the community. We would do our monthly calls and then, um, Sallee and I were already presenting at some of the national conferences, so I just went ahead and signed up Magic School. So we had a booth and then I was already there presenting.
So. Kind of did, you know, did both as well. And we, we staffed the booth with our pioneers and they helped volunteer. And, um, so it just, it, it grew from there. And then, um, then we started, uh, selling the product. And so Adeel was like, okay, Jeni and Steffi, y'all need to go sell and. I didn't have any sales experience, but it was also something that I thought, you know, that might be an avenue too to, to pursue.
So it's just kind of been an organic, um, progression. And I feel like, honestly, I feel like the best salesperson is someone that's just authentic and is passionate about something, right? Like I was, I was selling ideas and ways to do things with my teachers and students for years. So. Now it's just a different shift with AI and I feel like helping districts understand, 'cause this is a, a road that they're not used to.
Going down and navigating that and being that trusted advisor as they're making these decisions is, and I think I have the, the credibility and that, that they trust me to, you know, with some of the connections that I have built, that I think that that helps as well.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): You are totally right about, about like in the classroom. We, I used to say the same thing. Like, I, I have customers, they're called my junior high students and they're real picky and they're
Jeni Long: Yeah.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Um, and, and all of that transfers. And what's interesting to me, what strikes me about. The story that, you know, the, the parts that you just shared is like, while you didn't share your timeline, right, like, I know you've been in this for 25 years, but I heard a lot of, and then I was here and then I decided to make this move, and then I shifted here, and then we moved, um, and then I started presenting and I putting my ideas out there and, and I, I find that like comforting personally because I have, I, my. steps have similarly kind of like been between two and four years. And, um, it just speaks to the fact that, um, like I have had conversations with my parents, my older brothers and sisters who just can't quite Jenallee the journey that you just described or that I try and describe to them.
And I think that there's educators, especially the next generation of educators that are stepping into the classroom that like you and I. Might have itches from time to time. Um, it doesn't always require like a move and leaving and going and coming, but, but what was really, what really strikes me about what you shared was like when you had a curiosity, you found a place to go explore that and whether it was like through Microsoft or becoming a conference presenter. Um, so talk a little bit about how about. you've made relationships or built these relationships with these educators through all of the different moves.
Jeni Long: Yeah, I think that that's one thing that, um. I really pride myself in and is, you know, speaking to that Microsoft community. And I was also part of like the community or the Flipgrid community, you know, so there's just getting plugged into those communities. And even as a tech coach or tech integration specialist here locally, we had communities, um, we had an organization called, uh, tenor, uh, don't ask me what it stands for, but, um, it was local district leaders that would get together, um, every month or so at a different.
Different district and just get together to talk, you know, and share ideas of how are you doing this and talk about your Chromebooks and now there's this new thing and how are you handling this and security and, but just being in person to talk and collaborate and learn from each other, I think it's just so valuable.
And then COVID came and then it just, you know, kind of got, got weird. And so I think even in Magic school, our partners thrive for that. That networking and like getting together and collaborating and how is this working for you and how are you dealing with this? And just sharing ideas like we're just by, by nature, you know, want to be in a community and want to learn and, and, and gravitate toward people that.
Are like-minded or even not, you know, and, and learn from our differences. So I think just that community piece and, and every different position I've had has brought more connections and it's been so great with Magic School. Like, I've running back into people that I taught with before or that were in districts that, you know, I've, I've had some connection with.
Yeah, it really is. And like, you know, I've got a couple, um. Superintendents that, you know, one, he was my principal before and so of course, you know, I'm like, Ooh, I'm gonna, you know, connect with him and just, you know, being able to, to have those full circle moments is, has really been key. But I think teachers, they thrive for that.
They wanna be seen and heard and celebrated, and. And I think just giving them opportunities to collaborate in person. And we're also busy. We all have a million things to do, but we need community and we need each other. And there's just nothing like in person events. I mean, if we have to do online, that's fine too, but I just think when we can be together and share and, and support each other and, um, and that's just, you know, what I at, at my heart.
I just want to be able to support educators where they are
Cate Tolnai (she/her): I
Jeni Long: and, and value.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Yeah. I so remember like 10 years ago when Twitter was. Like an edu educational lifeline. Yeah. Twitter chats.
Jeni Long: Yes.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): did you, what were your Twitter chats?
Jeni Long: Um, well, we did, we did like the, were they spaces, like the spaces that were on Twitter for? Remember that?
Cate Tolnai (she/her): do remember
Jeni Long: So Sallee and I used to do that and we actually had, um, some that kind of helped. We had some sponsorships from different companies and we would hold a Twitter space and we would have like guest speakers come on.
So almost like, you know, a podcast, um, live. Right? I thought those were so fun. But yeah, the Twitter chats would, we did some with Microsoft and um, you know, we would just, just. Yeah, those were crazy. Those were crazy. And I remember when we worked for Flipgrid, I remember like Tuesday night, we would always be like, oh my gosh, this is the busiest night.
'cause those Twitter chats would come on like Matt Miller and the ditch the textbook. We'd be like, oh gosh, it's Tuesday night. It's gonna be flooded with, uh, all kinds of, of, uh, tweets. So,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): that,
Jeni Long: and I, I mean, I loved when Twitter was that like mini pd. And I think that's also what kind of sparked our journey too.
'cause Sallee was really big on Twitter, where. If I went to a conference, I would just maybe tweet something, but I didn't understand the value of that connection piece that Twitter offered. Um, and so once we really tapped into that and just that, again, networking with people, creating, you know, groups on Twitter and just, Hey, I'm gonna be at this event, let's meet up.
And it
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Or I'm presenting
Jeni Long: was it.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Yep. I, um, and then Voxer, did you use Voxer too?
Jeni Long: Somewhat. Somewhat, yes. I have a, a, a, a group of ed tech, um, ladies that we, we will, when we go into conferences, we'll box each other and, um,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): it?
Jeni Long: somewhat. Some, some, yes, yes. I'm more of like, I'll just audio text. I mean, I use my voice text all the time, so I'll just send an audio message. I forget to go to Voxer, but yeah, it's a good one.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): That, that, remember, that sound like my husband would be like, turn it off. Um, well, I, I'm curious because, because you get to bring to this conversation the, the. Provider solution perspective now being in your position, but you're so balanced in that like part of what makes you such a great representative for a company is that you are an actual fan girl of the product.
'cause you use the product, you're in the field, you do it. Like, that's what makes you wonderful at what you do. And I've had conversations with friends who, um, kind of like you and I, like we, we were around during those, those. Connected moments where like actually back in 2013 or 2014, I, uh, with a couple of friends, we launched a Twitter chat.
That was Tuesday night, of course. And, um, it was called Connected tl. Connected Teacher Leaders is what it stood for, because this was the era of the tosa, right? Everybody, like this money was flooding and teachers were being. Plucked out and being told to be a teacher on special, very special assignment.
And I remember when I was hired as a tosa, I was like, how special is this special assignment? Like my family's moving to Sacramento, like, is this special? Like, and um, anyways, so, so what was interesting what, where my head's going, the reason why I'm sharing all this is because then it felt like it was teacher human to teacher human.
And that's what was driving community. And I think. I think what I'm arriving at is that what's driving community now are teams at Okay. Hear me out. 'cause I'm working through this in my head, Jeni. So, so this is, this is like, this is a brain baby I'm having, and so thank you for being with me. So, like, as an example, right? Like, like bef, um. When, when Magic School hosts a pioneer event, right? Like you show up because you are connected to magic school or, and then you become connected to the pioneers and then the magic happens. And so how do you, how would you like give advice to this generation of teachers that are coming up in a world that is so heavily, It's, it's like almost being architected by these solutions where I feel like what you and I grew up in 10 years, grew up in 10 years ago, 12 years ago, was more driven by the people. Like, do you get what I'm
Jeni Long: Mm-hmm.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): the
Jeni Long: Yeah. No, I see.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): and I don't know.
I'm just curious, like, what do you tell them? What
Jeni Long: Yeah. I think it, it was like you're saying more authentically, just people getting together, people collaborating, um, you know, and we had the Google and the Microsoft, you know, communities and networks. But now, yeah, to your point of like, Flipgrid was a huge community. You know, the flip siders, they were like the inside ambassadors and we'd get together and share.
And you had your lead. Every company has a different ambassador, you know, title, um, you know, Genially has a great, um, community. Yes, love Genially. We had a lot of mistakes 'cause Jenallee and people would say Gen, you know, gen, you're saying Jenallee. No, genially. So that was a, that was a hard one. Um, but the Wakelet community, you know, and a lot of these in book creator, you know, so a lot of these communities.
Crossover too. So
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Okay.
Jeni Long: like meeting people that are, you know, and then you bring people in like, hey, come to this community, use this. But it is a product, but it is still also the people. Um, and I feel now more than ever too, like I'm always telling people when I go and lead a training or I have a meeting, I'm like, follow us on social media.
Like, I wouldn't necessarily have thought back in the day to follow a company
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Right.
Jeni Long: mini pd, but like magic school has the best. PD on social, like Andrew, who came from, um, Frisco, ISD, and he, he took over the role of community when I transitioned, um, into partnerships. So he had his huge TikTok presence, and so that was his jam.
Like he made these amazing videos on TikTok for all different companies, and so now he does that for us, and his videos are just fabulous. I tell people all the time, go follow us YouTube, Instagram. TikTok because he just shares such creative ideas and ways to use, um, the product. And a lot of times it's app smashing with other products, you know, and just learning.
Um, because like what we were saying, Twitter used to be our mini pd. You know, you go on there and you'd learn. And so now it's like you have to find these other avenues, um, you know, to get that, that, that information. And so I do think that social media in that sense has been a, a real nice. Um, contribution, but I do see that the companies are really trying to step up with their communities, which is,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): so many of us went to work for companies, you know, and we,
Jeni Long: Yeah. And that's true. But I look around at all my circle of like folks that we used to go to conferences and we would like co-present together. We would meet up and I'm. This one's with a company, this one's with a company, this one's with a company. This one. I'm like, oh my goodness. Like, but it's also those that like, and I think a piece of advice I would give to someone is like, get out there.
Put yourself out there. If you even have, and it's not everybody, some people are like, I'm, I'm okay in my four walls. I love teaching, doing my thing, and that's what I wanna do forever. But if you have the slightest inkling of like, I wanna share my voice maybe in a different way. Don't, don't hold back, like get out there.
I mean, companies have contracting work that you can come be a part of and um, you know, get out there and present. Put yourself out there. Once you start doing that, and you probably have such wisdom to share with others, that would benefit, you know, and if you have that desire to share, there's a reason.
So I
Cate Tolnai (she/her): share, connect, inspire, like you talked about, like the kiddos having those light bulb moments and like, I think about like the teachers having those light bulb moments. You know, when, when the teacher, like, 'cause I've been, I've been doing quite a bit of, um, training with the Adobe team and when a teacher walks in and then.
An hour later is like, Cate, come here and shows me something they made, and you can just. Like feel the sparkle coming off of them. And all I can think is like 30 more kids are gonna get a chance to, to add this, you know? 'cause you just, 'cause we just turned, helped a teacher figure it out. And and totally agree.
That's the best advice is just. Just try it. Just try it. Like we're already in front of people all the time. It couldn't be harder to teach adults than it is. I mean, truly, it really couldn't be harder to teach adults than it is to teach kindergarten. I, I don't, I mean, I have the maddest respect
Jeni Long: They're just in bigger bodies. Yeah.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): just two bigger bodies.
Jeni Long: they don't need their shoes tied and their nose is wiped.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): right. I mean, you're gonna have, you're gonna have the naysayers and you're gonna have the, the people who sit in the front. And actually, I was doing a PD recently where like I was teaching kindergarten through 12th grade at a school district, and I got them in these. Like, I think I had K-5, 6-8, 9-12 groups, and it was hysterical because my high school teachers come in, nobody's sitting in the first three tables, like nobody, right? They're all in the back. And then elementary comes in, they're right in the front. And I was just giggling. I'm like, they see they're not different.
Jeni Long: Yep. Yep,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): different.
Jeni Long: true.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): I, and I think one of the things that I, I feel like my little nugget that I'll take away from this conversation too is, is that. Maybe community looks different in 2025. EdTech community because it's, um, because it's being driven by like that's, I think that's, that's a claim.
I'll stand behind, What's still true is, is that connection is driving community. And so if you start a conversation around a tool or because of a community that's being sponsored, that doesn't mean it's the end of that conversation. It's, it's if we walk into all of those with like a yes. And what else are you, what other, what other organizations do you know or what other circles are you in?
I mean, Jeni, we are like. I mean, everybody who's doing the work you're doing is, is there because they want to just connect and like make sure everybody feels seen, heard, and respected. And I feel like that sentiment, regardless of what it looks like, regardless of the outer shell, like that's at the core.
And I love that. I love that. I love what Magic School has done. Um. So, I said, I was a pioneer. I was an earlier pioneer and, um, I, I appreciate the conversations that school districts can have about AI because of the opportunities that your team has. Uh, provided educators and I think our job is to just take the, all those conversations to the next level.
You know, like, let's, let's welcome everybody to the party. So on that note, I just have one more question for you, which is,
Jeni Long: Okay.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): go back and if you could tell year three, teacher version Ms. Long, if you could give her any advice, what would you give her?
Jeni Long: Oh gosh. I think around that time I was either, um, pregnant or had, uh, my first child. So, you know,
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Be like, have a
Jeni Long: I, you know. Buckle down because I mean, and I. The work is always gonna be there, but you've got to just realize that, I mean, you get burned out, you know, and every season changes, you know, and now teachers have more on their plates than ever before, you know, just with all the things you know.
And I think it's fabulous. Like here, I don't know where it is, everywhere, but we have no cell phones and I just think that would've been, uh, like such a breath of fresh air from 'cause these phones, I think are just such a distraction, you know, in the classroom. Are able to, like, kids are able to talk again and interact and play games and pass out like we used to do.
You know, but that's that human aspect again, right? Um, but I just think that I would say, you know, the work is gonna be there, but your family at those moments with your family are gonna just. Fly by and just to just be present. Um, and, you know, put the, put the grading aside. Now we have ai so that can help.
But you know, just to learn to prioritize and, and to just build those relationships with your students too, because I think. I love that I have students that I still see on social media that I'm connected with, and then they reach out and like, oh, remember this project, or whatever. But just making those connections, you know?
And that's, again, it goes back to that community piece, you know? And. And just, um, you never know the influence you're gonna have on a student and the impact that you could make on their life and their future. So I think that's, that's the most important thing. You know, all that other stuff is gonna be there, but those kids and your personal family and your, um, mental capacity or the, are the, the most important things
Cate Tolnai (she/her): it.
Jeni Long: in my opinion.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): Um, well we are gonna make sure in the show notes, I'm definitely including links to your book, YouTube. Are you still doing the YouTube channel? But that's okay.
Jeni Long: It's still there and we.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): It's gorgeous. It's, it's full of it. Um, I wanna put all of the magic school links that you mentioned and then we'll connect if there's anything else that comes up that we wanna put out there.
And just like probably link to the Pioneer program, right? In case anybody wants to get dialed into Magic School Pioneers. And do you still have that, is that still the thing? Is it called Pioneers?
Jeni Long: we have the pioneers and we also have ambassadors. So kind of like the next step to get further involved is that ambassador program. So yeah, it's awesome. Lots of ways to stay connected.
Cate Tolnai (she/her): good. All right, Jeni, thank you for your time and for being you and all that you're doing in education.
You are a gift.
Jeni Long: Well, thank you, Cate. I appreciate it. It was such an honor to be here with you today.