We believe education is the gateway to solving the world’s most profound challenges. As our CEO and Co-Founder, Daniel Demarmels, who himself navigated learning with dyslexia and ADHD, puts it:
“Every problem in the world, from political choices to how we function as a society, to how we can overcome the largest existential threats that we face as humanity, are best addressed by first raising the average education that every student in the world has.”
This philosophy drives us every day, as we recognise that improving education isn’t just about delivering academic knowledge - it’s about empowering learners to be the problem-solvers of tomorrow.
Today, we share the story of Tom, a student at Purple Ruler (name changed to protect the identity of the learner), a student whose journey exemplifies the need for an education system that values not just academic knowledge, but emotional growth and personal relevance. His experience highlights why we must create learning environments that nurture resilience, creativity, and, above all, emotional connection. Tom’s story is part of our ongoing mission to rethink education - one where every learner, regardless of background, has the tools and support to thrive.
A Day in the Life of Tom
Tom is a student whose presence in an online classroom is a study in contrasts. When the camera flicks on, his face often reveals a mix of cautious curiosity and barely concealed frustration. At 10 years old, Tom’s academic journey has been anything but conventional. Despite being in Year 5, his progress reflects the struggles typical for children with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. For Tom, each day is a balancing act between emotional challenges and the desire to engage.
He starts each lesson hesitantly, often bringing a sense of unease as he settles in front of the screen. His body language is closed off, his focus wavering. A simple “hello” marks his entry, though the reluctance is palpable. His teacher greets him warmly, but it’s only when the content speaks to Tom’s passions that his attention sharpens.
When lessons align with his interests—his love of rollercoasters, theme parks, and games like Roblox or Minecraft—Tom’s transformation is striking. Suddenly, he shifts from withdrawn to fully engaged. In one recent Maths session, a rollercoaster joke opened the door to calculations around theme park safety, instantly capturing Tom’s attention. Wearing a theme park T-shirt, he dove into the lesson, fully immersed in the maths behind rollercoaster design. Concepts like place value became clear when framed in terms he loved, and Tom’s engagement was nothing short of remarkable. His eyes brightened, and he drew his favourite rollercoaster, Nemesis, with enthusiasm.
But these moments of connection are fragile. On days when the lesson lacks relevance to his world, Tom retreats. In English, when faced with the story of Beowulf, his resistance surfaces quickly. “Vikings are dumb,” he protests, the content feels distant, irrelevant. His responses grow shorter, his energy drains, and when asked to focus on a creative writing task, Tom simply leaves the lesson. This back-and-forth between engagement and disengagement is common for students like Tom, whose emotional and academic needs are inseparable.
Yet, despite these challenges, Tom’s creative potential shines through. When given the chance to draw or connect learning to his interests, he flourishes. His ability to engage with abstract concepts, like place value or fractions, becomes clear when the lesson speaks to him personally. The teacher’s role, then, is to find and amplify these moments of light, gently guiding Tom through his emotional resistance toward the joy of learning.
Key truth...
Tom’s experience reveals a key truth: engagement isn’t just about academic content - it’s about the emotional framework in which that content is delivered.
For students like Tom, emotional regulation is critical. Research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) emphasises that emotional regulation is strongly linked to academic outcomes. When Tom is emotionally engaged, the content connects with his interests, and his academic performance improves. But when the content fails to spark his interest, his emotional state takes over, leading to disengagement.
Personalised learning plays a crucial role in Tom’s success. Studies published in BMC Psychology show that when lessons align with students’ emotional interests, they not only perform better academically but also build greater emotional resilience. For Tom, integrating his passions - like rollercoasters and video games - into the curriculum allows him to grasp difficult concepts, such as fractions and place value, in ways that traditional methods never could.
However, emotional setbacks are inevitable. When Tom feels disconnected from the material, his emotional state often causes him to withdraw. Research from SpringerLink and the Global Education Monitoring Report highlights the importance of incorporating emotional support into education. Students like Tom need more than academic instruction - they need an environment where their emotions and interests are validated, and their engagement can be nurtured.
Tom is calling all educators to action
Tom’s journey demonstrates the urgent need for educational environments that address both the emotional and academic needs of students. Studies show that when emotional support is embedded into learning, students thrive. Teachers who engage emotionally with students and offer personalised lessons create an atmosphere where learning becomes not just a task, but a transformative experience.
Tom’s story is a call to action for education systems to integrate emotional support and personalised learning into every classroom. When students feel emotionally supported, they are more likely to engage, succeed, and ultimately believe in their potential. For Tom, learning isn’t merely about mastering content - it’s about developing the emotional resilience to tackle challenges and succeed in ways that are meaningful to him.
By making emotional support a core component of the educational experience, we can create environments where students like Tom not only survive but thrive.
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