Barbara Cockroft Email and Phone Number

Barbara Ewing Cockroft joined the State Support Team Region 9 as a School Improvement Consultant on March 1, 2014. Barb provides professional development and technical assistance in support of the Ohio Improvement Process, assessment literacy and differentiated instructional practices. Barb has more than thirty-five years of classroom experience as a 7th and 8th grade language arts teacher on which to base her expertise, including 17 years of teaching reading and writing to gifted students. Additionally, Barb uses her passion for education to mentor both aspiring and experienced teachers. Furthermore, she taught the gifted masters’ cohort at Kent State University for teachers wishing to earn their K-12 gifted endorsement. Barb has worked with teachers and leaders across the United States in her former position as a school improvement specialist. Additionally, she mentors teachers and administrators in Hong Kong, where she provides professional development on many of the challenges facing educators today.Barb holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Physical Education from Ashland College and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Ashland University. She holds a permanent teaching license in the state of Ohio, is a National Board Certified Teacher, and has earned a K-12 Gifted Education Endorsement. She also is credentialed as an OTES evaluator, an Assessment Literacy trainer and a FIP (Formative Instructional Practices) specialist.

Worked with school transformation in the areas of formative instructional practices and assessment literacy in Ohio, TN, GA, TX, OK, and Hong Kong. Advocate for accelerating student learning through principal and teacher leadership.

Secured instructors to teach workshops for the Center for Professional Development; kept university instructors current on best practices in education; worked in tandem with local school districts to create job-embedded professional development opportunities

Taught summer workshops on neuroscience as it relates to education; taught workshop on teaching students who are experiencing the challenge of poverty; taught workshop on differentiated instruction, gifted education, and how to prepare students to take the Ohio Achievement Assessments; worked on literacy initiatives with Mayor's Literacy Commission

Taught courses to teachers in the field seeking their K-12 gifted licensure, among these being Social and Emotional Needs for the Gifted, Nature and Needs of Gifted, Curriculum for the Gifted, and others. Mentored by friend, colleague and Professor Emeritus Dr. Jim Delisle.

Worked with motivated colleagues to establish a true FIP experience at Lake Middle School for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders.