Abbigail Armstrong, Ed.D

Abbigail Armstrong, has seen the challenges of impoverished children; she lived through it.  She overcame these early challenges to become a veteran public school teacher.  She received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Gardner-Webb University in 2010.  Building on her classroom experiences and specializations in math, content literacy, and middle level education, she became a professor at Winthrop University in 2005.  She now teaches undergraduate courses in the Middle Level Education Program, and graduate courses in the Master of Arts in Teaching program, the Middle Level Education master's program, and in the Curriculum and Instruction specialty program. She supervises elementary and middle school student teachers, and collaborates with area schools on special projects.  Dr. Armstrong has worked on several projects involving assessing rigor in schools and program evaluation.  She also has a strong background in working with at-risk students, particularly those from a poverty background.  She has worked with Drs. Blackburn and Williamson for five years, and is a skilled presenter who brings a real-life, down-to-earth perspective to her presentations. Participants are most excited about her practical approach and hands-on learning.

"Abbigail is a fantastic presenter and related to our teachers very well.  Thanks so much for sending her!"

--Chandra James, Chicago Public Schools

"She was EXCELLENT! My teachers were able to obtain great strategies to increase the rigor in their classrooms and lessons.  She kept our teachers alert at all times because they did not want to miss anything. Working in a rural and impoverished area, it can be very challenging to motivate the 21st Century Learner. The book Rigor is Not a Four-Letter Word along with Dr. Armstrong's presentation can make this task a little easier.  Again, I was very pleased and will be recommending her and the book to principals in my district and surrounding districts."

--Cynthia Johnson, Principal, Calhoun County Schools