Are you a professional or high-achieving student needing to use English with confidence?
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Our primary focus is on writing and reading activities for adults and children. Our services range from helping international professionals improve their English language skills to helping young children learn phonics and writing skills.​​​​
Book a 30-minute Executive Confidence Call
Book a 30-minute Parent Confidence Call
The Confidence-to-Learn Cycle™, our proprietary approach, is a confidence-first learning and communication system. It builds or restores confidence before demanding performance.​​
With this approach we identify learner goals and customize lessons, activities, and experiences to ensure students are prepared to showcase their knowledge clearly in real life. As we work through the activities we discuss strategies with our students so they not only understand what they are doing, but also why they are doing it. These discussions help us understand when students are ready to move on to more advanced activities and when we need to review previous lessons.
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The process:
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Uses real situations and student interests, not boiler plate drills and exercises
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Removes pressure so thinking can surface
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Creates clear direction
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Reduces dependence, and increases confidence, over time​
The same system works for:
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Professionals who need to speak clearly and be taken seriously
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Students who need their thinking to show in writing and discussion
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Different contexts. Same confidence foundation.​
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​Our approach is to meet with each client to learn about their interests and determine what they need. This allows CStarsky to customize lessons within the context of individual interests, increasing engagement and learning.
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​​​Our expertise also includes human development, instructional design and training evaluation. We happily provide consulting services in these areas.
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UNDERSTAND THE REAL PROBLEM
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For Professionals & Executives
Learning a new language is always a challenge. You may feel hesitant or unsure about what you are doing at first. It takes time and practice to build confidence. You do not want to hesitate, freeze, or second guess yourself in high stakes situations because doing so will make you look like you are lacking expertise and authority.
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We can help you identify English skills that need further development and ways to practice so you can build confidence and share your expertise in high stakes situation​s.
If you freeze, hesitate, or second-guess yourself, it’s not because you lack skill. Confidence breaks down under pressure. When that happens, clear thinking and expression disappear.
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Fix confidence first — and everything else follows.
To learn more book a 30-minute Executive Confidence Call​​
For Parents & Students
Learning something new is always a challenge. When learning how to write, your kids may feel hesitant or unsure about what they are doing at first. It takes time and practice to build confidence.
We can help them understand and improve skills so they can apply them in future situations. As they see the results of their new knowledge being applied in writing they develop confidence and pride in their work and enjoy writing.
To learn more book a 30-minute Parent Confidence Call
WHY SMART PEOPLE STILL STRUGGLE
You might recognize this: You know what you want to say, but it doesn’t come out right. You repeat yourself or over-prepare. Writing or speaking feels harder than it should. Effort goes up, confidence stays flat.
For professionals, this shows up in meetings and presentations. For students, it shows up in writing, reading, and class discussion.
The ability is there. It just isn’t showing consistently.
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WHY TRADITIONAL APPROACHES FAIL
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Most learning systems push skills before confidence.
They correct.
They drill.
They measure output.
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But when people don’t feel confident about what they are doing, they stop thinking clearly. That’s when capable people underperform — not because they can’t do the work, but because pressure shuts them down.
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This isn’t a motivation problem.
It’s a confidence problem.
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Our tutors let the students decide what they want to write about. This gives them an immediate boost of confidence because they pick a subject they know well. Then, we work with the students to find out where they are getting lost, and explain to them, at a level they will understand, how to accomplish the tasks.
Continuous review and feedback help students understand the process and strategies they should be using. As students develop confidence and seem to be able to function independently the tutor gradually moves to more advanced tasks, all the while giving positive reinforcement for correct performance and discussing challenging situations if the student is having troubles. These discussions help the students internalize correct processes and procedures, enabling them to apply their new knowledge as they work independently.
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Drills and scored tests do not provide the same level of feedback or give the student additional opportunities to learn from their mistakes.
WHAT CHANGES WHEN CONFIDENCE HOLDS
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Before
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Anxiety in meetings or school work
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Overthinking and hesitation
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Smart ideas staying stuck
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Reliance on scripts, help, or reassurance
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After
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Calm confidence
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Clear speaking and writing ideas expressed on the first attempt
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Independent thinking and communication
No personality change. Just confidence that holds when it matters.
WHAT PEOPLE NOTICE FIRST
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People I work with:
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stop freezing when they speak
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express ideas more clearly
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perform better in real situations
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become more independent over time
The change shows up in daily life — not just tutoring or practice sessions.
To learn more book a 30-minute Executive Confidence Call
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For Professionals and Executives​
Is this accent reduction or ESL tutoring?
It can be both; however, what makes this approach different is we make a serious effort to focus on confidence and clarity under pressure, not drills or identity erasure.
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How is this different from executive coaching?
We are focusing on (re)building confidence specifically as it relates to your ability to speak English when under pressure at work. Most coaching assumes confidence.
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Will this help with real meetings and presentations?
Yes. All work is based on real professional situations.
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How quickly do people notice change?
Most notice a confidence shift early, often within the first few sessions. Like anything else you need to work at it and practice what you learn.
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Is this about becoming more extroverted?
No. It’s about being confident to use English to express what you already know.
For Parents and Students
Is this remedial tutoring?
No. It’s for capable, often high-achieving students.
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Will this pressure my child more?
No. The system is focused on students who do well in school but may need help with some areas of writing. As those basic areas are improved, other related skills that need improvement will be highlighted. The rationale will be discussed with the students at a level they will understand, so they can apply the same principles to other writing in the future.
How is this different from school or tutoring centers?
The tutoring sessions are customized for each student. We start by learning the interests of each student and then design the lessons to include writing assignments within those interests. For example, students interested in animals can write about animals. If students have interests beyond what is taught in their grade we teach the basics required to help them pursue their interests. By using student interests as the context for the lessons, they remain engaged in the lessons. We focus on thinking and building confidence to ensure independent application of knowledge — not memorization of flashcards or worksheets.
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How do you know it’s working?
We work closely with students as they complete writing assignments. As we discuss the rationale behind areas that need to be improved, and see students following our advice, we know their understanding and writing are improving. We also talk to students to help them internalize the logic and to confirm they understand the strategy.
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​If students are working on personal projects we may get feedback from parents. Parents have also reported that teachers were impressed with student writing or that student test scores have improved on state standardized tests.
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Is this right for advanced or sensitive learners?
Yes. The work adapts to the learner’s pace and needs.
To learn more book a 30-minute Parent Confidence Call
EXAMPLES OF VIRTUAL TUTORING REVIEWS
Adult Learners
“My tutor has helped me gain confidence to express myself to people I think of as intellectuals. My friends have noticed a huge improvement in my vocabulary. “ (Adult learner)​
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"Great session, great tutor, great everything!!!! Got my confidence back on the subject matter!!!" (Adult learner)​"
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Makes learning fun. Her method of learning works for me. I have ADD." (Adult learner)​
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"Today's session was very informative. She picked up my pronunciation issues quickly and helped me practice that part during the session." (Adult learner)
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About Elementary and Middle School Tutoring
​​​"You are doing a great job with my daughter. I am truly impressed with her knowledge. I appreciate what you have done." (Parent of middle school student)
​​​"I am extremely pleased with the tutor's exceptional patience and ability to engage with challenging children." (Parent of elementary school student) "
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Thank you so much for your guidance and help, under your tutelage my daughter has managed to achieve a high standard of writing for her age. This has helped her enormously to gain entry to her first choice middle school." (Parent of elementary school student)​​
​"It was awesome! I went back to work on my story and we did some talking about Keebler Elves in the beginning. But, in summary, I got a lot done!" (Elementary school student)
​"She is so so so so nice!" (Elementary school student)​
MEET CATHY
​Cathy Stawarski is an educator and learning strategist who helps people use English with confidence — at work and in school. She has spent decades working with international professionals, executives, and students, helping them communicate clearly in real situations, not practice drills. Through this work, Cathy saw the same pattern again and again: capable people struggle not because they lack ability, but because confidence collapses under pressure.That insight led her to create the Confidence-to-Learn Cycle™ — a confidence-first framework built from real teaching experience, not theory or quick fixes.
Cathy works entirely online and only in small, highly personalized formats. She focuses on learners who already have a foundation and want to use their skills with confidence and independence. Her goal is simple: help people stop second-guessing themselves and start using what they already know.​​
CHOOSE YOUR PATH
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For Professionals & Executives
Build confidence and clarity for meetings, presentations, and leadership communication. → Learn more about the Executive Confidence Program
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​For Parents & Students
Help capable students express their thinking clearly in writing and discussion. → Learn more about the Student Confidence Program
To learn more book a 30-minute Parent Confidence Call