Department of Education

Abigail McClain is a secondary Special Educator at Achievement First Providence Academy Middle School, a public charter school. She began her career in education as a 2021 Teach For America Rhode Island corps member. Abigail is a passionate educator and advocate who is deeply committed to equitable access to education for all learners.

During her first year teaching, leading both math and English intervention classes, Abigail prioritized an adaptive and asset-based approach to instruction while simultaneously maintaining rigor and challenge. She creates academic environments that support the varying learning needs of students by incorporating student choice into all aspects of her teaching. She believes students are best supported when they are at the center of their school experience. While at Brown and beyond, Abigail plans to focus her studies and work on implementing inclusive, culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, and asset-based approaches to support neurodivergent learners.

Abigail received her education at Fordham University in New York City with a B.A. in English and Art History. She also holds a Master’s of Education from Rhode Island College. She is eager to begin this new journey by working towards her second master’s degree in Urban Education Policy while continuing her work as a teacher. Abigail believes for equitable change to occur at the systemic level, the belief and pursuit for equity must persist at the most fundamental level of teachers and students. Therefore, she is honored to work towards this goal as an Urban Education Fellow at Brown University and as a teacher in Providence, Rhode Island.