Educator Spotlight: Dr. Crystal Gifford

Tell us a little bit about your career and experience in your field of expertise.

I began a career in higher education at the age of 23, and pursued education in the areas of finance and economics for my Master's and then Business Administration and International Business for my doctorate. As a career professor, I was also an entrepreneur in the space of learning and curriculum development. I have written for the GMAT, developed million+ dollar value curriculum for organizations, and now focus on designing and implementing curriculum for secondary education in the private sector. Money and the education of money have been my life's work, and curriculum development has been the vehicle to drive the mission.

What inspired you to pursue a career in education, and how has your journey shaped your approach to teaching?

I was a deep learner at a young age, but it was a serendipitous moment of thought to provide my services to the local university that landed me in my first professorial role. It was two quarters in when I had an epiphany during a class that teaching is what I was made for...and I haven't looked back since.

Can you share a specific example of an innovative teaching strategy or technology you've implemented in your courses? What impact did it have on student learning?

I like to bring gaming to the classroom. When students find something 1. relevant and 2. entertaining and sometimes 3. just challenging enough to make good competition, they are more motivated to complete the tasks. One example recently is creating a relay race using math, organizational skills, and video/speaking skills into one project. Because the students were "playing" (the relay game) and "competing" (the chance to be the first group to finish) they engaged fully and shared they learned something from the assignment. including some "new" math terms they had forgotten.

How do you stay current with trends and developments in your field, and how do you integrate this knowledge into your curriculum?

To stay current, I focus on reading, listening and researching current trends in education, learning, AI and tech, and the workplace. As the needs for the workplace and marketplace change, education must keep pace. I digest everything I can about curriculum efficacy, attend conference, speak, actively engage with educational leaders to explore current needs, and even teach in the relevant secondary education classrooms at times when developing a core curriculum for a subject matter. The instant and ongoing feedback of teaching my own curriculum is more valuable than gold in my market and industry.

In your opinion, what are the key skills students need to succeed in today’s job market, and how do you help cultivate those skills in your courses?

Personal responsibility--all students must be accountable for self and completion of tasks. Willingness to fail--we encourage mistakes and even celebrate them. Mistakes mean we tried something that wasn't easy, and that is a win already. Self management--time, habits, choices, practices are baked into ordinary assignments. Every task includes some level of personal development along with the work assigned. Discernment--learning how to make decisions that move them in the direction they want to go is the forefront of every task we do. Students are given many chances to make choices and then we spend class time to reflect on the outcomes of those choices.

Is there anything you would like to share or highlight?

The marriage of business and curriculum development has positioned me to understand the needs of the marketplace and prepare a robust, proven, standards-aligned suite of curricula that meets the needs of secondary education providers in the private sector for electives such as financial management, test taking skills, college and career readiness, personal development, and life skills.