Meet Paige Beverly

 

We recently connected with Paige Beverly and have shared our conversation below.

Paige, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

Learning to embrace my definition of being effective and successful within the field of education, especially in circumstances where I’m the only Black woman within a space, has been a challenging road but a rewarding path in the end personally and professionally. It has taught me that what others assume you can or cannot accomplish can either limit you or motivate you further: the choice is ultimately yours.
From a young age, my parents set high expectations for me and encouraged me to be confident in my dreams and ambitions. They were also real with me, and prepared me for the racist and microagressive stereotypes that may precede me when I step into spaces where I’m the minority. I knew what the world may have thought (and may still think) of black girls and black women: “sassy”, “loud-mouthed”, “not smart”, “lazy”, etc. When it came to my academics and my personal interests, I never let these stereotypes alter what I wanted. I loved learning; I took pride in earning my straight As, getting my awards, wanting to teach others new things, and wanting to one day travel to Paris and learn French. Continuing with my interests and high standards for myself has allowed me to where I am today. I am a Black woman from Baltimore with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, who’s fluent in French, who’s a special educator and who has started her own tutoring and mentoring business.
Readers, I have two pieces of advice for maintaining success and achievement when you are the only one in the room like you: never forget who you are and what you want to pursue, and don’t let the preconceived notions others have of you deter you from the path you are meant for.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Hello Bold Journey readers!
My name is Paige Beverly, and I am a special education teacher and tutor from Baltimore, MD. I have been teaching and working in education with students since 2018, and have been blessed to tutor and lead my own classrooms since 2020. My passion for educating others and wanting to venture into entrepreneurship has led me to begin my own business called The Tutoring Paige. My ultimate goal with my business is to create a nurturing environment where neurotypical youth and those with high incidence and low incidence disabilities alike can thrive academically and personally.
There are so many exciting and important elements that come with being an educator! Getting to not only teach others, but to also learn new and unique ways to deliver information from my students has been so rewarding. I enjoy seeing the light bulb moments where a student gets a concept, where we can celebrate a good grade or moving up to the next step in a reading skill, or even when they don’t understand and need encouragement or a different approach. It all helps to make me better and build a stronger bond with learners.

The Tutoring Paige provides quality tutoring at affordable prices in K-8 ELA, Mathematics, and all-level French. Starting at just $45 an hour, you can receive tutoring services in-person or virtually from an IPL licensed special educator. My virtual tutoring services will resume in May 2025, and all virtual and in-person tutoring services will resume in August 2025. For more information, please visit the website: https://thetutoringpaige.com/

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that have been most impactful in my professional and personal journey are perseverance, differentiation, and consistency.
Perseverance: If you are just beginning your journey in your career, there are going to be hardships that come along the way. To motivate yourself to keep going through the most difficult times, it’s important to remind yourself of the purpose: “why did I begin this career path?” “where is this going to take me?” “what’s on the other side of my hardship?” In education, this is often referred to as “remembering your why.” It may sound silly or cheesy, but reminding myself of the purpose behind what led me to places in my life and where I want to eventually go helps me to push through and continue working towards my ambitions.

Differentiation: Find what makes you stand out! Embrace what’s unique about your personal and/or professional path and use that to elevate yourself! If living in the 21st century and the rise of social media has taught us anything, it is that finding your niche can allow you to create unique opportunities and career paths that may have not existed before. In the beginning, many did not understand the pursuit of my degree in French and wanting to learn the language fluently. Now, I have a skill that allows my tutoring business to stand out in a unique way in Baltimore and opens me up to more professional opportunities.

Consistency: As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Any self growth or professional growth will only come to fruition by continuing to work on your passion. Sticking with a project or pursuit, whatever it may be, allows not only you to see the worth and benefits of your efforts, but for others to notice your efforts as well. Being consistent with opportunities in the field of education and beyond has opened me to doors I never thought would be available to me!

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

This question hits home for me in a special way; managing feelings of being overwhelmed, stressed or anxious has been a constant work in progress for me. Being a special educator, a tutor and most importantly a soon-to-be mom to a son comes with many daily responsibilities that can pile up quickly.
My main piece of advice is to not overload yourself and to accept help where it is needed. Making a short list with 3-5 prioritized items or tasks for the day, and using your resources to assist you where possible helps a ton! There is no shame in accepting help and taking things slowly, day by day!

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