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 March, we invite you to talk with Nicholas Kristof, an Opinion columnist, about argument writing. Here’s how to participate:
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Weeks 1-2 (March 1-15): 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 March 15: Post your thoughts and questions for Mr. Kristof 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 (March 16-22): Mr. Kristof will respond to many student comments, and you’ll receive an email letting you know if yours is one of them.
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By the end of Week 4 (March 23-31): Come back to the conversation to read Mr. Kristof’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 questions.
Meet Our Journalist
Nicholas Kristof is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, writing about foreign and domestic issues.
As a columnist, Mr. Kristof goes beyond reporting to provide commentary and a point of view on the news, often in an effort to spark conversation and persuade readers.
“I try to shine a light on topics that aren’t necessarily in the headlines but should be,” he writes. He has a longstanding interest in health, poverty and women’s rights. Mr. Kristof won two Pulitzer Prizes — one for coverage of the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown in China and another for coverage of the Darfur genocide. He has also written several books and won an Emmy for a video about Covid.
You can learn more about Mr. Kristof and his work here.
Explore This Month’s Topic: Opinion Writing
How do you write a compelling argument — one that makes your readers think differently, or even convinces them of your point of view?
In our related Open Letter Contest, we’re inviting students to write public-facing letters to people or groups about issues that matter to them. Because open letters are a form of persuasive essay, to write a successful one, you’ll need to know how to make an argument.
But whether you’re planning to participate in our contest or not, as you read one or more of the following essays by Mr. Kristof, consider the techniques he uses to try to persuade you. What works? What do you want to know more about? You might annotate with your questions and comments.
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What if the Valedictorians in America’s Schools Were the Cool Kids? (February 2026)
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These Three Red States Are the Best Hope in Schooling (February 2026)
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How to Bring Back the American Dream (January 2026)
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In Which I Try Valiantly to Cheer You Up (December 2025)
Post a Comment
Now, share your thoughts and questions 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 Mr. Kristof what you thought. What stood out to you in the essays 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!)
Post your comments and questions by the end of the day on Sunday, March 15. Mr. Kristof will respond from March 16-22. Be sure to check your email to see if he has replied to you!
Reflect on the Conversation
Come back to read Mr. Kristof’s responses and reflect on what you learned and how it might apply to your own life and work. By the final day of the month, Learning Network staff will call out its favorite student reflections.
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: Making a Compelling Argument appeared first on New York Times.
