Thirty years of classroom mastery — now yours, one session at a time.
Private instruction from a veteran English educator with 30 years of classroom
experience, including AP Language & Composition and Honors World Literature.
For thirty years, Cristin Novak has taught English in Orange County classrooms —
from middle-school literacy foundations to AP Language & Composition and Honors
World Literature. She now brings that same rigor and warmth to private students,
one on one.
Her background spans public speaking, rhetorical analysis, argumentative writing,
and the exam-day strategy that AP Lang requires — as well as the patient,
relationship-first teaching that builds confident readers and writers in middle
school. She has also taught Spanish 1–2, and regularly guides high-schoolers
through the college essay process, from first draft to final polish.
Colleagues and administrators who have worked alongside her for years describe a
classroom "where literature and rhetoric come alive" — and a teacher who challenges
students to think deeply while making sure they feel supported every step of the
way.
“I plan to meet my students in the most convenient library for both of
us.”
— Cristin Novak
Sessions are held at a public library near you — a calm, neutral, distraction-free
space for focused one-on-one work. No commute to an office, no clutter — just you,
your tutor, and the work at hand.
What We Cover
Specialties
Focused instruction across the full arc of English education — from building strong
middle-school literacy habits to the exam-day strategy of AP Language & Composition
and the precision writing that top-choice colleges expect.
✎
Middle School English
Reading comprehension, grammar, and confident, clear writing — scaffolded to meet
students exactly where they are.
✦
High School English & Literature
Essays, literary analysis, and writing craft for grades 9–12, including Honors
World Literature.
◆
AP Language & Composition
Rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and synthesis — with exam-day strategy from a
teacher who has coached students to the test for years.
✒
College Essay & Application Coaching
Personal statements and supplemental essays, developed from brainstorm through
final polish — a high-demand specialty in Orange County.
☰
Spanish 1–2
Foundational Spanish instruction for beginning and early-intermediate students.
✺
Exam & Writing Prep
Structured practice and feedback for standardized writing sections and timed essay
exams.
The Kind Mind Learning Approach
Rigorous. Warm. Genuinely one-on-one.
Every session is built around the student in front of her — not a script. That's
what three decades in the classroom teaches you: how to challenge a student without
overwhelming them, and how to build the kind of trust that makes real growth
possible.
Veteran expertise
Thirty years of classroom experience, including AP Language & Composition and
Honors World Literature.
Flexible, local sessions
Meetings at a public library convenient to you — a calm, focused space with no
office overhead built into your rate.
Patient, individualized instruction
Extensive experience working with a wide range of personality types and learning
styles, including students with ADD, ADHD, and autism.
A nurturing, high-expectations classroom of one
Students are challenged to think critically and express themselves clearly, in an
environment where they feel genuinely supported.
A true specialty in AP & college essays
The two highest-stakes areas of high school English — taught by someone who has
guided students through both for years.
Summer 2026
Summer Classes
Small, focused summer sessions to sharpen grammar, strengthen essay writing, and build a
genuine love of writing — all before the new school year begins.
§
Grammar Academy
A focused review of core grammar conventions — subject-verb agreement,
pronoun-antecedent agreement, comma usage, sentence fragments, and dangling modifiers
— to correct common errors in both speaking and writing.
¶
Essay Writing
Students learn to write a clear thesis statement, master the anatomy of a strong
body paragraph, and build an effective, well-reasoned counterargument.
❉
Creative Writing
Writing should be fun. Students explore the elements of craft across a variety of
genres to build genuine interest and confidence as writers.
Cristin is available to teach English for homeschool students in grades 6–10,
bringing the same classroom-tested curriculum she's used for thirty years to a
homeschool schedule.
Middle School English & Literature
A survey of literature and novel studies, plus a dedicated Creative Writing
class.
High School Literature Survey
World Literature, American Literature, and British Literature.
AP Language & Composition
Full AP-level instruction and exam strategy — with a 100% student passing
rate.
SAT Prep
Structured practice and strategy to help students perform their best on test
day.
Online & International
English Conversation & ESL Coaching, Anywhere
Cristin also works with students of English as a Second Language over Zoom —
students, business professionals, and lifelong learners of any age, anywhere in the
world.
Sessions focus on practicing conversation with proper English grammar, expanding
vocabulary, and achieving clear, confident pronunciation.
Conversation practice
Real, guided conversation to build fluency and confidence using proper English
grammar.
Vocabulary building
Expand working vocabulary for everyday, academic, or professional contexts.
Pronunciation coaching
Targeted feedback to achieve clear, correct pronunciation.
For any age or background
Students, business professionals, and lifelong learners — young and old,
anywhere in the world.
Investment
Tutoring & Coaching Rates
Private, one-on-one instruction from a credentialed, veteran educator — priced to
reflect thirty years of classroom mastery.
Standard Tutoring
Middle school · general English · Spanish 1–2
$100–$125/hr
High School English
Essays · literature · writing skills · grades 9–12
$120–$150/hr
Flagship
AP Language & Composition
AP-level writing · exam prep · 100% passing rate
$140–$180/hr
College Essay Coaching
Application writing · personal statements
$150–$250/hr
Package Pricing
Structured, multi-session packages for students working toward a
specific goal — priority booking included.
5-Session Writing Improvement Package$550–$700
10-Session AP Lang Prep Package$1,300–$1,600
College Essay Package (4–6 sessions + edits)$900–$1,800
Summer Program (Grammar Academy, Essay Writing & Creative Writing)$825/mo
A limited number of sliding-scale spots are available on request — most sessions are
booked at standard rates. Summer Program payments are accepted via PayPal.
Homeschool English and
online/international ESL coaching are priced per session —
get in touch to discuss the right fit for your student.
In Their Words
What Colleagues & Administrators Say
“An outstanding educator whose passion for teaching middle school English
and AP Language & Composition has profoundly impacted both students and
colleagues alike. Her classroom is a dynamic environment where literature and
rhetoric come alive.”
Carrie KarkutVice Principal of Academics, Calvary Chapel Schools
“Cristin is an exceptional English teacher whose deep knowledge of
literature, writing, grammar, and critical thinking is matched by her passion for
helping students grow academically. Her classroom instruction reflects both
excellence and innovation.”
Jay HenryFormer Principal, Calvary Chapel High School
Get Started
Book a Free Consultation
Tell us a bit about your student and what you're working toward — AP exam prep, a
college essay deadline, summer classes, homeschool English, ESL coaching, or steady
weekly support. We'll follow up to find a library near you (or a time on Zoom) and
get a first session on the calendar.
Service areaOrange County, California — plus online worldwide
Session locationsPublic libraries, chosen for your convenience, or Zoom
Get in touchUse the form and we'll reply as soon as we can
Accessibility
Accessibility at Kind Mind Learning
This site is built to be usable by people of all abilities. Accessibility here is
work done on the site's own code — not a widget layered on top of it.
What we work to
We target WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the standard referenced by the ADA and
Section 508. As of 28 July 2026 this site is partially conformant:
it meets that standard everywhere we have been able to test it, and the testing we
have not yet done is listed below.
How we test
Automated checks across six display conditions — including 200% zoom, wide text
spacing, reduced motion, forced colors, and dark mode — at phone, tablet, and
desktop widths.
A person moves through the whole page using only a keyboard, checking that focus
is always visible, never trapped, and never lands on something hidden.
Every color pair carrying text is measured against the contrast the standard asks
for, rather than judged by eye.
What we have not done yet
This site has not yet been tested end to end with a screen reader by somebody who
uses one every day. Automated checks and the accessibility tree are not a
substitute for that.
No independent third-party audit has been carried out.
We do not claim this site is free of accessibility barriers, and no site can honestly
promise that. If you hit one, we want to know.
Tell us about a barrier
Email cristin.novak73@gmail.com — you do
not have to use the contact form. Tell us what you were trying to do and what happened.
We aim to reply within five business days, and to offer another way to get what you
needed while we fix the underlying problem.
This statement describes testing carried out on 28 July 2026 and is reviewed by
28 January 2027. It is a description of our work, not a legal determination, and it
does not certify compliance with any statute.