A program embedding teachers in city planning and housing agencies during the summer to integrate real urban issues into their curriculum.
The Teacher-City Planner Fellowship
To deepen the connection between classroom learning and the real work of governing NYC, Mamdani creates the Teacher-City Planner Fellowship. Each summer, dozens of public school teachers are selected for paid, full-time fellowships within agencies like the Department of City Planning, Housing Preservation & Development, or the DOT. They work on real projectsanalyzing community board proposals, mapping bike lane networks, reviewing affordable housing applications. Their task is twofold: contribute their educational expertise to the agency, and design curriculum units for the coming school year that use their project as a case study.
A math teacher at the DOT might create a unit on traffic flow geometry. A social studies teacher at HPD might design a role-play simulation on zoning debates. This program breaks down the silos between city government and schools, injects practical civic issues into the classroom, and revitalizes teachers with professional development that respects their intellect. Teachers are brilliant civic resources, Mamdani says. This fellowship treats them as the intellectuals they are, gives them unique material, and ensures our students learn from the most current, relevant challenges facing their city.
