Barbara R. Blackburn Author of Evaluating Organization Development
FEATURED AUTHOR

Barbara R. Blackburn

Author and Consultant
Blackburn Consulting Group

Barbara has dedicated her life to improving motivation, instruction, and rigor for students and teachers alike. Ranked as a Top 30 Global Guru in Education, she has been a teacher, a professor, and a consultant. Currently author of over 30 books, she is an international speaker, and she regularly works with schools and districts in the areas of rigor, assessment, differentiation, student motivation and engagement, and leadership.

Subjects: Education

Biography

Barbara has dedicated her life to raising the level of rigor and motivation for professional educators and students alike. What differentiates Barbara’s 22 books are her easily executable concrete examples based on decades of experience as a teacher, professor, and consultant. Barbara’s dedication to education was inspired in her early years by her parents, Bob and Rose. Her father’s doctorate and lifetime career as a professor taught her the importance of professional training. Her mother’s career as school secretary shaped Barbara’s appreciation of the effort all staff play in the education of every child.

Ranked #4 of the Top 30 Global Gurus in Education, Barbara has taught early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students and has served as an educational consultant for three publishing companies. She received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2006, she received the award for Outstanding Junior Professor at Winthrop University. She recently left her position at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to write and speak full-time.

In addition to speaking at state and national conferences, she also regularly presents workshops for teachers and administrators in elementary, middle, and high schools. Her workshops are lively and engaging and filled with practical information.

Education

    Ph.D. Curriculum and Teaching, UNC-Greensboro, 2000

Areas of Research / Professional Expertise

    Instructional Rigor, Rigorous Assessments, Differentiation and Rigor, Student Motivation and Engagement, School Leadership

Personal Interests

    Spending Time with Family, Writing, Reading, Watercolor Painting

Websites

Books

Articles

Middleweb

Staying on Task with Meaningful Student Talk


Published: Nov 25, 2022 by Middleweb
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Characteristics of Effective Academic Discourse

Middleweb

Every Teacher Makes a Difference – Every Day


Published: Nov 25, 2022 by Middleweb
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Tips to inspire you and your students.

Middleweb

Effective School Leaders Are Prepared for a Crisis


Published: Nov 07, 2022 by Middleweb
Authors: Ronald Williamson and Barbara Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Tips for preparing for and dealing with a crisis.

UKEdMagazine

3 Principles for Engaging Students


Published: Aug 27, 2018 by UKEdMagazine
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

How you can engage student at a higher level.

Middleweb

Creating an Inviting Classroom Environment


Published: Aug 18, 2018 by Middleweb
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Strategies and ideas for spicing up your classroom environment.

edCircuit

8 Characteristics of Effective Advocates


Published: Jul 31, 2018 by edCircuit
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn , Robert Blackburn, and Ron Williamson
Subjects: Education

How can you advocate for your school?

Routledge

Author of the Month; Rigor and Differentiation in the Classroom


Published: Jul 09, 2018 by Routledge
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

After being named Author of the Month, I responded to questions about my work and my inspiration.

edCircuit

3 Ways to Teach Students to Take Responsibility


Published: Jul 06, 2018 by edCircuit
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Ideas for teaching students responsibility.

Middleweb

Assess Students Using Projects & Performance


Published: Jun 20, 2018 by Middleweb
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Using project and performance-based learning

EdCircuit

4 Creative Ways Writing Can Enhance Learning


Published: Jun 01, 2018 by EdCircuit
Authors: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

Excite students through writing!

News

Rigor Checks: Expert Reviews of Assessments

By: Barbara R. Blackburn
Subjects: Education

With the push for increased rigor in schools, it’s often difficult to tell what is and isn’t rigorous.  With her Rigor Check, Barbara brings her expertise to that problem with an expert review of instructional assessments. Customized for each school or district, Barbara reviews assignments, assessments, and/or instructional practices for rigor.  She then provides a written analysis, along with specific suggestions for next steps.  Barbara can complete an off-site review of the assignments and assessments, and she offers the option of on-site walk-throughs of instructional practices, as well as off-site reviews of recorded instruction. Additionally, she can train teachers and leaders on the process, which builds expertise, shared ownership and sustainability.