Meet Ms Troy Coleman | PurposeFul Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ms Troy Coleman and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ms Troy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Honestly, I didn’t set out to become a business owner — I set out to solve a problem. I saw far too many children being left behind because traditional literacy instruction wasn’t meeting their needs. I knew from experience that play-based learning, social-emotional development, and the science of reading could unlock everything for them — but it wasn’t being done consistently or intentionally in most learning spaces.
As an educator, I had a 90%+ success rate helping students meet academic goals, including those who had been labeled with disabilities or behavioral challenges. I started PurposeFul Play Learning Academy because I knew I had a method that worked — not just to teach kids how to read, but to fall in love with learning again.
I wanted to create something that didn’t just serve students, but also empowered families, trained teachers, and reimagined what literacy intervention could look like. So my thought process wasn’t “let me build a business,” it was: How do I create something sustainable that can help more kids — and change the system while I’m at it?
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
PurposeFul Play Learning Academy is more than a tutoring service — it’s a movement designed to bring joy, equity, and science back into how children learn to read. We specialize in play-based, social-emotional learning, grounded in the science of teaching reading. I use evidence-based strategies to turn struggling readers — including those labeled with disabilities or behavioral challenges — into confident, capable, joyful learners.
What sets PurposeFul Play apart is our whole-child approach. We don’t just focus on the academic skill; we tap into the emotional blocks, the mindset struggles, and the confidence gaps that often go unnoticed. We’re not just helping kids learn how to read — we’re helping them see themselves as readers, as thinkers, and as people who belong in learning spaces.
I’m most proud of the real results we see: children who couldn’t recognize letters now writing sentences… kids who were once afraid to speak in class now leading the read-aloud. That transformation never gets old.
Was it easy? Absolutely not. Starting a business without capital, while navigating life and still showing up for families and children with excellence — that’s no small task. There were (and still are) days when I question if I can keep going. But I remind myself: this is bigger than me. I’ve learned that if you build with integrity, lead with impact, and serve with heart, everything else will align in time.
If there’s one thing I want the world to know, it’s this: literacy is liberation. And no child should be denied that freedom just because the system wasn’t built with them in mind. PurposeFul Play is here to change that narrative — joyfully, intentionally, and with a whole lot of heart.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to visit, I’d definitely curate a week that mixes creativity, culture, and calm. I’m a lifelong learner at heart, so we’d absolutely start with a library tour — stopping by places like the Houston Public Library’s Central Branch and the Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library. There’s just something about walking into a space filled with stories waiting to be discovered.
From there, we’d explore the Museum District — especially the Children’s Museum, the Museum of African American Culture, and the Contemporary Arts Museum. I love spaces that make you think and feel at the same time.
We’d also sprinkle in some hands-on experiences: a paint-and-sip night at a local paint bar, maybe a candle-making session, and definitely some time in a play café where kids can run wild and parents can sit back with coffee or a mocktail. That mix of joy and ease is exactly what I aim to create through PurposeFul Play.
As someone originally from Mississippi, I’m still discovering the gems in Houston — and that’s part of the fun! I’d definitely want to try some new restaurants, especially in neighborhoods I haven’t explored yet. Houston’s food scene is never-ending, so we’d hit a few highly recommended spots and leave some room for those hidden treasures you only find when you wander.
By the end of the week, I’d want my best friend to feel refreshed, inspired, and creatively full — just like the kids and families I serve every day.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first and forever student: my son, Hunter. He made me a teacher before I ever stepped foot in a classroom. Loving him taught me how to lead with compassion, creativity, and patience — and that foundation has shaped everything I’ve done since.
I also want to dedicate this shoutout to every student who was labeled as “can’t learn” or “too much to handle” — the ones who landed in my classroom after others had given up on them. Those students worked hard because I taught them to believe in themselves, and in doing so, they taught me to believe in myself as a change-maker. They are the reason I do this work, and the reason I’ll never stop.
Website: https://www.purposefulplaylearningacademy.com
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Facebook: PurposeFul Play Learning Academy
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