A Glossary of Common Citizen Schools Terms

Vocabulary used throughout the Citizen Schools curriculum.

by Jenny Parma
Curriculum by Citizen Schools Staff

We use the terms listed below throughout the curriculum. Please peruse the list and refer back to it when needed.

Apprentices: Students who work with one or more mentors to master skills related to their apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship: A series of sessions in which two to four mentors work with five to ten apprentices to master specified skills. The apprenticeship culminates in a real, adult-quality performance, product, or presentation.

Explorations: Hands-on learning adventures throughout the city or on campus that engage apprentices in a variety of historical and cultural resources. Explorations take place on non-apprenticeship days and focus on building the academic skills of writing, data analysis, and oral presentation.

Mentor: An adult volunteer who imparts knowledge in his or her field of expertise to small groups of apprentices. Mentors receive training in how to teach.

Team Leaders (TLs): Talented, young educators who support and train mentors while working as liaisions between the school, students’ families, and the after-school program.

WOW: An authentic, adult-quality product, performance, or presentation that showcases what students have created and learned throughout the apprenticeship.