The communities surrounding UMBC are rich and full of culture and fun — as well as very accessible! From Baltimore to Catonsville, to Washington, D.C., and everywhere in between, UMBC students are exploring new places off campus to eat, play, and enjoy time with friends. Getting off campus is key to taking full advantage of your college experience. So, get out there and have fun!

Bustling B’more

Baltimore is full of fun things to do — with delicious food, cultural activities, and plenty of professional sports options to enjoy. And the UMBC bus makes it easy to get right into the heart of the Inner Harbor with the Downtown Route. Art lovers will enjoy the gorgeous Walters Art Museum, the contemporary and provocative American Visionary Art Museum, as well as the comprehensive Baltimore Museum of Art, where you can get into the special exhibit for free with your UMBC Red Card. Walk among fish and sharks – and even a sloth! – at the National Aquarium, or listen to a masterpiece at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at a discounted price as a student. And don’t miss a game at Camden Yards and M&T Stadium to watch the Baltimore Orioles or the Ravens!

In Little Italy, try hidden gem Isabella’s Brick Oven Pizza, and Panini for a great slice. Flying Fruit Fantasy is a dessert and juice bar for after dinner treats. And, if you’re sticking around town in the summer, Artscape, in June, is the largest free arts festival in the country! During the spring semester, Light City lights up the April night sky. Take the UMBC bus into the city and wander around, enjoying local art and the city as an exhibit of light art.

Our Own Backyard

Right in UMBC’s backyard, Catonsville, Arbutus, Ellicott City, and Halethorpe all just a quick UMBC bus ride away. The UMBC shuttle is a great free resource for all students (with your red card, of course). In Catonsville, local vinyl store Trax on Wax supplies a plethora of new and used records, as well as an interesting history. If you’re feeling hungry, the Catonsville Farmers Market, located at the Christian Temple, has been around since 2002, serving up fresh foods to the whole community. In May, Arbutus’ Food Truck Festival, one of the biggest one-day festivals in Maryland, showcases more than just food. It also features local art, restaurants and crafts! Also opening soon in Arbutus will be Ocamocha, a student-run cafe where you can hang out and enjoy a latte.

Ellicott City is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to get outside when the weather’s nice. The Outdoors Club takes trips to Patapsco Valley State Park, and you can also go solo or with friends to hike and enjoy nature (when you’re not studying, of course). For music lovers of all sorts, Merriweather Post Pavilion is less than 20 minutes from UMBC by car, and hosts great artists and even a whole music festival, Sweetlife.

Our Nation’s Capital

There are about one million guides of what to do in Washington, DC, but in addition to the National Mall, and all the amazing Smithsonian museums to explore, there’s so much more. It’s not difficult to get into DC from UMBC with public transit. The UMBC bus goes to the BWI MARC train station, and that goes straight into Union Station, where the metro can take you anywhere you need to go. The music scene in DC is incredible and varied. From the 9:30 Club, to the U Street Music Hall, to the Anthem and the Songbyrd Record Cafe, many of your favorite artists come to DC to perform.

The National Zoo is free, apart from parking, and the Phillips Collection offers some free days to explore the beautiful art there, including the iconic Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir. For more art, head to the National Portrait Gallery to see the famous portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama. If you’re interested in journalism, walk to the Newseum, where you can interactively learn about the stories covered by journalists and view Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs. The Newseum offers 15% off their ticket price for students. And among the many delicious eateries, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Georgetown Cupcakes and &Pizza are standouts.

Water and Wonder in Annapolis

Maryland’s capital, Annapolis, is a short drive from campus offering a charming waterside experience rich in history. Explore Main Street, or go to the Maryland State House to see democracy in action. Vida Tacos Bar is a great eccentric restaurant specializing in flavorful tacos with twists. Sofi’s Crepes offer delightful sweet or savory crepes like The Nutty Banana or The Turtle.

Quick Links

Not sure about the transportation situation? These quick links will make it easy for you to get up and go!

UMBC Campus Shuttle

Campus Zip Cars 

Metro Schedules

MARC Train

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Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC Magazine.

Teachers at Lakeland Elementary/Middle School celebrated another year of impressive gains in math performance when Baltimore City published the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) standardized test scores on August 28. UMBC’s Sherman STEM Teachers Scholars program was by their side to celebrate, as the team enters the sixth year of a comprehensive partnership that includes transformative professional development with math teachers.

UMBC staff and students have been working alongside Lakeland teachers to build a model for success that can be replicated at other schools through the Zone Math Project. Teachers at Lakeland Elementary/Middle regularly meet to analyze and utilize data from PARCC, other summative school-based assessments, and curriculum and classroom-based assessments to improve student learning.

In these professional development sessions, Lakeland teachers articulate a data story for each student. The profiles inform teachers as they develop individual plans for enrichment, extension, and support. These discussions also guide how to structure planning time and the development of lesson plans to meet individual needs.

Professional development success

Carly Harkins, a fifth-grade teacher at Lakeland and a 15-year veteran of Baltimore City Public Schools, sees great value in taking all the information she has at her disposal to create individualized success plans for her students. “I was able to see, in a very visual and concrete way, which students understood major content, which students were successful at problem-solving, and, conversely, which students had gaps in those areas and, as a result, create actionable plans.”

What is even more cause for celebration is that Lakeland is not alone in its success. In the past year, this model of support has expanded to Mary Rodman Elementary and Liberty Elementary, both in Baltimore City. The three Zone Math Schools have experienced an average annual growth of 7.5 percent in PARCC math scores. Over the past two years, Lakeland’s scores have improved by 11.7 percent. Over the past year, Liberty’s scores moved up 4.3 percent and Mary Rodman, which experienced the fastest growth in the region, saw scores increase by 14.6 percent.

Josh Michael ’10, political science and education, assistant director of UMBC’s Sherman STEM Teachers Scholars Program, attributes this growth to two things. “Teachers are the key lever to student success in the classroom,” Michael says. “By developing their vast skill set in data analysis and engaging in changes to classroom practice, teachers can facilitate learning that creates a strong foundation for long-term success.”

The Zone Math Project will expand to James McHenry Elementary School, Federal Hill Preparatory School, and Maree G. Farring Elementary School over the 2018 – 2019 academic year.

Inside the classroom

Creating individualized learning plans for students can pose challenges, but teachers in the Zone Math Project have found successful approaches.

Emily Phillips, a third-grade teacher at Mary Rodman Elementary, describes this process: “With three groups of students, I taught the main concept to the entire class,” she says. “The class then went into differentiated learning groups. The highest group worked on advanced and independent problem-solving with critical thinking, often multi-step problems focusing on the standards-based lesson.”

This progression in a math lesson allows students to have multiple opportunities to learn information, evaluate it, share it, and create with it, minus the fear of failure. Through the Zone Math Project, teachers also aim to increase the time that students are engaging in material. Students are placed in fluid groupings and receive ongoing feedback about their growth, allowing them to gain confidence and move between groups depending on the skill they are working to develop.

At the core of this work are the goals of creating more pathways to success for teachers and students, and making sure they feel supported in their growth. Teachers have noticed exciting results not just in test scores, but also in their classrooms.

“Students began to step up and take ownership of their work from start to finish. This was where I saw the most progress with students,” says Phillips. “Motivation and participation sky rocketed.”

Featured image: UMBC Hour of Code. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 unless otherwise noted.

"This award is given to one full-time faculty member to honor extraordinary teaching as demonstrated by the effectiveness in motivating students in ways that have a lasting influence on their lives. The nominee should have a record of commitment to student success, the ability to provoke student interest and enthusiasm, service to the UMBC community, and have constructively impacted and influenced campus life beyond the classroom."

Dear UMBC professional staff,

We all received an email from President Hrabowski on Monday inviting members of the UMBC community to an open listening session to discuss the recent events regarding sexual assault and misconduct. The PSS supports the university’s effort to create a space for dialogue so that the university community can begin to heal and move forward together.

The listening session is scheduled for Thursday, September 20, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. It is co-organized by a number of campus groups and is open to all. If you would like to learn more about student perspectives on this issue, or share your own story, you are welcome to attend.

If you cannot attend, and would like to contribute to the conversation, feel free to use the form shared in President Hrabowski’s email to share a story or leave a comment or question.

We all react to challenging news differently. Any staff member who may need support can request counseling through the Inova Employee Assistance Program by calling 1-800-346-0110.

Sincerely,

PSS Executive Council

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