Welcome to Ask a Journalist! Each month this school year, we’re hosting a discussion about a teen-friendly topic with a New York Times journalist who covers it.
In December, we invite you to talk with James Estrin about how he uncovers what’s special and unique about a place. Here’s how to participate:
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Weeks 1-2 (Dec. 1-Dec. 12): Explore the topic on your own and with other students by reading one or more of the articles below and discussing them in class.
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By Dec. 12: Post your thoughts and questions for Mr. Estrin and for other students in the comments section of this post. (You can access that by clicking on the conversation icon under the headline at the top of this page.)
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Week 3 (Dec. 12-17): Mr. Estrin will respond to many student comments, and you’ll receive an email letting you know if yours is one of them. Learning Network staff members will also post a final reflection question.
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Week 4 (Dec. 18-31): Come back to the conversation to read Mr. Estrin’s responses and to reflect on what you learned. By the final day of the month, Learning Network staff will call out some favorite student conversations and reflections.
Meet Our Journalist
James Estrin is a senior staff photographer for The New York Times. He was a founder and editor of Lens, the photography blog The Times published from 2009 to 2019 and was an originator of the New York Portfolio Review, a free gathering where members of the photography community can give and receive feedback on work. He was also part of the team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for “How Race Is Lived in America.” He has a particular interest in covering issues around religion, health care, disability and race.
You can learn more about his background and read his work here.
Explore This Month’s Topic: Uncovering What’s Special About Your Hometown
What’s interesting about the place where you live?
We know it’s easy to take your city, town or neighborhood for granted, but for this discussion, as well as for our related Local Lens contest, we’re challenging you to look closer, to explore and to discover.
James Estrin has been photographing New York for years, and during that time he has used his camera and writing to reveal unique aspects of the city, such as its spiritual and cultural diversity and its nurturing of young classical musicians.
Before you talk to Mr. Estrin, read one or more of the following photo essays he cocreated. As you go, you might annotate with your questions and comments.
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A Student Orchestra Shouts ‘Mambo!’ and Meets Gustavo Dudamel (April 2024)
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A Look Inside New York’s Swirling Kaleidoscope of Faiths (December 2022)
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That’s No Counselor. She’s the Head of the Camp. (August 2023)
Post a Comment
Now, share your thoughts and questions for Mr. Estrin in the comments:
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Introduce yourself. Share anything that feels both comfortable for you and relevant to the discussion, such as your first name, general location, grade, background, interests or anything else.
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Tell us what you think. What stood out to you in the articles you read? What challenged you? What connections did you make? What do you think is missing from the conversation around this topic? What do you want the journalist to know about a teen’s perspective on the subject?
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Ask a question. Ask the journalist about the article you read or about the topic or his work in general. (Not sure what to ask? Check out this list of more than 20 ideas — but don’t feel that you have to stick to them!)
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Are you a teacher or student who has feedback on this new feature or would like to suggest a Times piece for future discussion? Please post a comment here.
The post Ask a Journalist: Photographing What’s Interesting About Your Hometown appeared first on New York Times.
