Meet Ms Troy Coleman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ms Troy Coleman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ms Troy , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

How I Found My Purpose

I’ve always known I wanted to work with children. Even in high school, I spent my free time volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club, captivated by the joy and resilience of young minds. That passion carried me through college, where I worked in daycares, nurturing and guiding little ones as they took their first steps into learning. But when I graduated, life led me down a different path—into the world of mental health.

For years, I worked with children who had highly disruptive behaviors, navigating complex emotional and psychological challenges. I loved my job, but I often found myself trapped in moral dilemmas that weighed too heavily on my conscience. The system wasn’t built to truly see these children, to uplift them in the ways they needed. I knew I had the heart to help, but I struggled with the limitations placed upon me.

Then, at the most precise and divine moment, an opportunity to teach fell into my lap. Ironically, I had never wanted to be a teacher. But the moment I stepped into that role, I knew God had placed me there for a reason. My background in mental health became a powerful lens—one that allowed me to truly see my students, especially those labeled as “Tier 3” behaviors. I didn’t just see their challenges; I saw their potential. And more importantly, I made sure they saw it too.

Teaching came naturally to me, not because it was easy, but because it felt right. I found myself studying beyond what was required, diving deep into curriculum, learning not just what to teach, but how to close gaps and push students beyond grade level. My first year was the hardest of my life, yet I was thrilled to come back and do it all over again. That’s when I knew—this wasn’t just a career. It was my calling.

And then, I learned how to teach a child to read.

That was the moment God spoke to me with absolute clarity:
“You have 1 billion children to reach.”

From that day forward, my purpose has been unwavering—to teach, to empower, and to transform education so that every child, no matter their challenges, has a chance to thrive.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Spreading the Word About PurposeFul Play Learning Academy

At PurposeFul Play Learning Academy, our mission is clear: to teach 1 billion children to read through Play-Based Social Emotional Learning. We believe that learning should be joyful, engaging, and empowering—not something children dread or struggle through. Our approach blends literacy intervention with play, ensuring that every child, especially those who face challenges with foundational reading skills, has the opportunity to thrive.

What makes our work so special is that we don’t just teach kids to read—we build their confidence, ignite their curiosity, and help them see learning as an adventure rather than an obstacle. We specialize in intensive literacy interventions, designed for students who may have fallen through the cracks in traditional educational settings. We know that with the right approach, even struggling readers can catch up, close gaps, and surpass expectations.

One of the most exciting aspects of what we do is the transformational impact we see. Just recently, I worked with a 6th grader who, 10 weeks ago, didn’t know all of his letter sounds—now he’s reading at a 1st-grade level. This isn’t just about test scores; it’s about restoring confidence, giving kids the tools to believe in themselves, and helping parents see that their child is capable of greatness.

We are in an exciting season of growth at PurposeFul Play! Here’s what’s happening:
✅ Expanding our literacy intervention services to more schools and families who need structured, research-backed solutions to close reading gaps.
✅ Launching interactive parent workshops and virtual training sessions to help families implement play-based learning strategies at home.
✅ Hosting events that celebrate literacy, history, and hands-on learning experiences, such as our Black History Month STEAM event at the Buffalo Soldiers Museum—a hands-on educational experience that blends history with science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

Our work is more than just education—it’s a movement. We are creating a new way of learning, one that is built on the belief that all children deserve joyful, meaningful, and effective education.

To those reading this, if you believe in the power of literacy, play, and social-emotional learning, I invite you to connect with us. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or advocate, we all have a role to play in ensuring that children everywhere have the tools to run toward learning, not away from it.

Let’s change the world, one reader at a time. 💙📚✨

Website: www.PurposeFulPlayLearningAcademy.com
Social Media: TikTok/IG @PurposeFulPlayLLC
FB: PurposeFul Play Learning Academy
Upcoming Events: Free Literacy Assessments (ongoing, virtual)

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three Most Important Qualities, Skills, and Areas of Knowledge

Looking back, three things have been most impactful in my journey:

1. Adaptability – The Ability to Pivot with Purpose

Education, like life, is unpredictable. I started in mental health, thinking that would be my lifelong career. But when I was faced with moral dilemmas that challenged my conscience, I had to be willing to pivot—and that’s how I found teaching. Then, in the classroom, I realized that traditional methods weren’t working for struggling readers, so I adapted again, building a play-based, social-emotional learning approach that actually transformed students’ confidence and ability to read.

Advice:
Be open to change and don’t resist redirection. If something feels misaligned, it’s often a sign that something greater is waiting. Listen, learn, and be courageous enough to follow the path you never saw coming.

2. Deep Understanding of Literacy & Learning Gaps

I didn’t just want to teach—I wanted to understand how children learn. I dug into research, standards, interventions, and best practices, not just for my students but because I wanted to build a system that worked. When I realized how many children were being left behind in literacy, I made it my mission to close those gaps—not just at the classroom level, but on a global scale.

Advice:
Whatever field you’re in, become a student of your craft. Don’t just do what’s required—go deeper. Find the gaps, study the patterns, and create solutions that don’t just follow the system but challenge it.

3. Relational Intelligence – Seeing Beyond the Struggle

My background in mental health gave me an invaluable lens in education. I never saw Tier 3 behavior students as “problems”—I saw kids who needed to be understood. That shift in perspective changed everything. I built relationships with students who had been written off, and once they felt seen, they were able to trust, learn, and grow. The same applies to parents and educators—people don’t just need strategies, they need connection.

Advice:
Your ability to connect with people is just as important as your technical skills. Whether it’s clients, students, or colleagues, learn how to listen beyond words. Be curious, compassionate, and committed to seeing the full person, not just their struggle. It will transform your work and the impact you have.

Final Thought:
Your journey isn’t just about what you do, but how you evolve. Be willing to pivot, master your craft, and build real connections. That’s how you create something bigger than yourself. That’s how you find your purpose. 💙

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

My Biggest Challenge & How I’m Overcoming It

Right now, my biggest challenge is scaling my impact while maintaining the quality and personalization that makes PurposeFul Play Learning Academy so effective. I know that my play-based, social-emotional literacy interventions work—I’ve seen students go from not knowing letter sounds to reading in just weeks. But to truly fulfill my mission of teaching 1 billion children to read, I have to find a way to reach more students, schools, and families without losing the individualized attention that makes this approach successful.

How I’m Tackling This Challenge:

🚀 1. Expanding Through Schools & Strategic Partnerships
• I’m working to partner with schools, educational institutions, and districts that need structured, research-backed literacy interventions but don’t have the capacity to implement them internally.
• My goal is to integrate my program in a way that supports teachers rather than adding to their workload—because I know firsthand how overwhelmed educators already are.

🚀 2. Building a Scalable, High-Quality Literacy Model
• I’m developing structured literacy intervention frameworks that can be replicated, trained, and implemented at scale while still being customizable to individual student needs.
• This includes creating trainings, curriculum materials, and virtual learning options so that schools, parents, and educators can access my methods without me needing to be physically present in every session.

🚀 3. Raising Awareness & Growing My Reach
• I’m actively seeking media opportunities, speaking engagements, and collaborations to spread the message that play-based, social-emotional literacy learning isn’t just an “alternative” method—it’s a necessity.
• This is why I take every opportunity to share student success stories—because when parents, educators, and decision-makers see the results, they understand the urgency of this work.

What’s Next?

While I’m still in the process of figuring out the perfect model for expansion, I know one thing for certain: I won’t sacrifice quality for growth. Every decision I make is with the goal of ensuring that students, no matter where they are, receive the same level of care, attention, and effective instruction that has already changed so many lives.

The mission is big, but I’m ready for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.PurposeFulPlayLearningAcademy.com
• Instagram: @PurposeFulPlayLLC
• Facebook: PurposeFul Play Learning Academy
• Other: Tik Tok: @PurposeFulPlayLLC