Christy Ogilvie McCreary

Christy is a multifaceted educator, coach, and mentor whose work with young people includes a strong background in executive function drawn from her years of work with busy business professionals.

Christy earned her BA from Monmouth College in English, with a minor in music. She’s a firm believer in the Socratic method, small group discussions and the liberal arts. Several years ago, Christy returned to university to work on a MA in education, earning her secondary education certification in English. She is completing her Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certification in Spring 2024.

Christy has had a multifaceted career, which makes her an excellent learning coach for students whose paths may not be linear. She spent a large part of her early career as a singer, band leader, and recording artist while running her own voice teaching studio. It was during this time that she began teaching music and discovered that she had a gift for teaching young people. Working with teens and young adult singers, she honed her ability to meet students where they are, in the moment, with support and understanding.

Rounding out the artistic and expressive parts of her CV, Christy has published one novel and is at work on the second. She found her following as a poet during the pandemic in 2020.

Christy currently works as a business coach helping business professionals with nuanced language and personality understanding in order to build genuine connection in a world that can feel cold and impersonal. Drawing on her experience as a teacher led her to start working with students, specifically on executive function skills that they will need in order to succeed in this busy world.

Christy is a joyful, fun, and focused learning coach who can assess the needs of a student and create a program for exactly them. Away from work, Christy is practicing yoga, gardening, or throwing parties so she can cook for her friends. A devoted Great Lakes lover, her second home is in Tuscany, Italy.

Teaching Philosophy & Approach

I am inspired by the Socratic method in teaching. When students are at the center, lessons are led by asking essential questions. I may provide them, or I may work with a learner to identify them. Once I know the goal we are aiming for, I work backwards to put the pieces in place for the student to arrive at new understandings. I'm not as interested in telling a learner what to think as in helping them explore how they arrive at their opinion.

It's my job to show students how to slow down, take time to read, discuss, and write about a topic. The world wants immediate yes or no answers to complex problems, but it's not correct to expect that. I am a big supporter of journaling, exploratory writing and discussion. People arrive at their understandings via watching, reading, listening, discussing and writing. So, a combination of these elements is crucial.

A successful learning experience will include spicy discussion, time to synthesize new ideas, reflective writing, and finally presenting a finished product. I like helping learners hone their writing by editing and returning essays for improvement. This process unfailingly improves writing skills, attention to detail and ability to clearly articulate ideas.

In the ESL area, my best skills are applied with those already proficient in English who are seeking nuance and humor. We do this via discussion topics chosen by the student (or myself if necessary), writing and vocabulary work, and current idioms that apply to their desired environment. (Business, education, conversation, etc.)

I am inspired by the Socratic method in teaching. When students are at the center, lessons are led by asking essential questions. I may provide them, or I may work with a learner to identify them.

Teaching Level:
  • Middle
  • High School
Teaching Type:
  • Tutoring
  • Learning Coach
  • Full-Semester Classes
  • Full-Year Classes
  • Partial Year Classes (Mini Courses)
Teaching Subjects:
  • Literature
  • Creative Writing
  • Comprehension and Grammar
  • Music

Testimonials

Courses that Christy Ogilvie McCreary Teaches

  • Blogging for Teens
    This class is designed for writers aged 13+ who are…
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  • English Writing Course
    This course aims to transform high school students into amazing…
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  • Essay Essentials
    This short, 15-session essay writing course, is designed to equip…
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  • Middle School English Language Arts
    Online Middle School English Course This online English course for…
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  • English 9
    English 9 is a foundational high school English language arts…
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  • English 11
    Our English 11 online course is meticulously crafted to extend…
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  • English 10
    Our English 10 online course is a custom-built journey through…
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  • Wellness & EF for Teens
    This course encourages the exploration of what constitutes wellness in…
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