As scholars, we believe in the study, exchange and debate of ideas. But recently we have become concerned by the direction that the debate about what methods teachers should use to help kids learn to read has taken.

The long-running “reading wars” are flaring again, largely because so many kids are struggling. Only 35% of fourth graders read at or above their grade level, according to the results of a federal standardized test. It’s also an issue because merely 13.5% of American 15-year-olds could distinguish between fiction and fact when they took another assessment, which measures student performance around the world." 

Click here to read the complete article. 

Fehintola Elizabeth Bright-Awonuga: Coming to UMBC as a freshman last school year I became affiliated with Retriever Essentials through the Shriver Center’s PRAC 096. I have volunteered with Retriever Essentials for two years now and I am now a part of the Student Leadership Board. I have the growth over the past two years and the impact it has had on the lives of fellow faculty, staff, and students. I do not regret my decision of joining this team because I have seen the first-hand the seed this organization has sown. The seed is continuing to sprout, grow, and blossom into something bigger than it once was.

Alex Gwizdala: Volunteering with Retriever Essentials was a great way for me to feel connected to the UMBC community. As a first-semester freshman, I was feeling out of place on campus when the semester started. When I started volunteering, I felt much more involved in the community. Being able to meet so many great people and knowing that my work was having an impact was an amazingly rewarding experience.

Stephen Isabell: Retriever essentials is a necessity. Retriever Essentials is full of love, teamwork, and community. While volunteering for Retriever Essentials, I felt every one of those things I felt so empowered that I am apart of the solution to ending food security. No one should have to go hungry in this world.

Stephanie Koshy: I started volunteering at Retriever Essentials at the beginning of my first semester at UMBC. When starting college, I wanted to find an organization that I could volunteer at that was similar to the volunteer work I did at my high school. Luckily, I was able to find that Retriever Essentials, I have enjoyed working with Retriever Essentials to help other students on campus overcome food insecurity. I learned a lot about food insecurity and how we can combat this worldwide problem through Retriever Essentials at UMBC. I look forward to volunteering in the Spring.

Brian Lynch: Working with Retriever Essentials made me feel fulfilled. Everyone I worked with was part of a larger community helping those in need. I enjoyed sauntering around campus in the crisp fall air to deliver and pick up food bags. Moving shelves to the new pantry was an exciting time as well. Retriever Essentials made me realize the problem of food insecurity on campus and how to address it.

Zara Mahmood: Retriever Essentials has been a great group to work with in my first year as a UMBC student. Working with them has made me feel integrated in the school. Being a part of such an amazing group that impacts so many lives has been a wonderful experience. Everyone in Retriever Essentials is very welcoming which makes it better.

Dera Osuigwe: Have you ever felt the love of a community? Have you ever seen people from different works of life come together to tackle a problem? Have you ever seen people so passionate about what they do? Well, let me tell you, I HAVE!! Retriever Essentials is a place where people give their time and joy. It is a place where students come from a community to help the community. Retriever Essentials is a program that shows unity, love, and gratitude.

Sabtain Saroya: Retriever Essential is a community of like-minded individuals influencing the broader UMBC community in an impactful way. This amazing organization is setting a precedent for what it means to/how to fight the issue of food insecurity.

Zoe Smith: Retriever Essentials is an incredibly unique experience. Although the distribution of the food bags is anonymous and done by campus partners, rather than the pantry itself, it is still incredibly easy to see the impact of the program. From seeing food fly off the shelves as campus partners request more bags to deliver the bags and seeing how excited the staff are for the new bags the appreciation for Retriever Essentials is evident and helps you feel that you really are helping to make a difference in your own community.

Interested in educational research and writing?  Join the Educational Research and Writing Group, a faculty working group sponsored by the Center for Social Science Scholarship, for their first meeting of the spring semester.

The Center For Social Science Scholarship is hosting a webinar by Hanover Research covering Grant Writing vs Academic Writing. 

For many grant-seekers in higher education, developing competitive grant proposals requires a departure from the conventions of academic writing. In this webinar, Hanover will contrast the major differences between grant writing and academic writing, outlining how these differences should impact the proposal development process. The session will cover:

• What makes proposal writing unique.
• Conventions of academic writing to avoid in developing a proposal.
• Common grant writing mistakes.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc.- Gamma Chapter

Applications need to be postmarked on or before February 7, 2020 

The National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. is a professional organization of educators dedicated to the task of training youth of American to cope satisfactorily and effectively with today's problems, firmly believing that education to be a potent factor in maintaining and perpetuating democracy as the most ideal form of life.

The national scholarship awards one student that is enrolled in a teacher education and in their Junior or Senior year with a $1,000 award. The recipient must have at least a 2.7 GPA.

A scholarship is awarded to one Kappa Omicron Tau (KOT), or student teacher in each region
APPLICANTS MUST ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
‚ Must be enrolled in a teacher education program in their Junior or Senior year.
‚ Must show evidence of need by declaring family size and family income.
‚ Proof of income must be submitted, i.e. W-2, last year’s income from appropriate government agency.
‚ Must submit an official transcript with a minimum GPA of 2.7 or higher.
‚ Attach a photograph (headshot) to the application.
‚ Apply through a Local Chapter Scholarship Chairperson.
‚ Must write an essay with a minimum of 300 words answering the following questions:
1. What are your career goals in the field of education?
2. How will your degree benefit the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., or fulfill the Sorority’s goals?

Click here for full the full application.