about dr blackburn ph.d

Ranked in the Top 30 Global Gurus in Education for the last ten consecutive years, Barbara has dedicated her life to raising the level of expectation and motivation for professional educators and students alike. Her work with schools, teachers and students has spanned the globe, working with literally thousands of educators across her career.

What differentiates Barbara’s 40 books are her easily executable concrete examples based on decades of experience as a teacher, professor, and consultant. Amongst her international best-selling books they include: Productive Struggle: Strategies Across the Content Areas, Rigor is NOT a Four-Letter Word, Improving Teacher Morale & Motivation: Leadership Strategies that Build Success & 7 Strategies for Improving Your School.

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. Barbara has taught early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students and has served as an educational consultant for three publishing companies. She holds a master’s degree in school administration and was certified as both a teacher and a school principal in North Carolina. She received her PhD 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 left her position at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to write and speak full time. In addition to speaking at state, national, and international conferences, she also regularly presents virtual and on-site workshops for teachers and administrators in elementary, middle, and high schools across the world. Her workshops are lively and engaging and filled with practical information.

"my mission is simple: support teachers and leaders in helping every student succeed through challenge and care" - barbara blackburn

"Dr. Blackburn's combination of theoretical knowledge, engaging delivery, and sustained support has produced lasting impact on our instructional practices". 

"The PD sessions have clear objectives, and participants are actively engaged in the learning process. Dr. Blackburn aims for long-term impact on educators’ practice and student learning outcomes. Barbara is always willing to meet the needs of the district/school where they are and provides support in anyway she can".

"Her approach was both inspiring and practical, offering authentic, differentiated lessons that teachers could immediately apply in their classrooms. Her ability to connect with educators and address diverse instructional needs was evident throughout the session. Our staff left feeling supported and equipped with new strategies to enhance student learning".

"Dr. Blackburn provided the most engaging, relevant, and focused professional development that our district has ever received. She provided practical examples for our staff that were easy to understand and that provided ideas that they were able to take right back into the classroom".

"PHENOMENAL! It was relevant, energetic, and thorough while filled with rationale. The materials were on point and great additions to my go-to resource box!

"Oh my, where do I even begin! You might have thought you knew what "rigor" was, but after this course you will be left with so many answers to so many questions!! I recommend this course to all teachers who wish to push themselves and their students!!!