Good afternoon! Thanks to comments from our readers, thoughtful student reflections and a deep dive into our own data, we’re bringing you our best of the year. — The Learning NetworkOur most popular posts of the 2025-26 school year
Most commented-on edition of “What’s going on in this picture?” Most-viewed Word of the Day: mellifluous Top 5 most commented-on Student Opinion questions: Most robust “Ask a Journalist” conversation: How Generative A.I. Is Reshaping Our Lives Student contest with the most submissions: Tiny Memoir Most-viewed “What teenagers are saying about … ” collection: On Modern Parenting Most commented-on edition of What’s Going On in This Graph?: Chinese Imports Most-viewed edition of Film Club: “Dear ICE: Letters From Students Living in Fear” Most-viewed Picture Prompt What you told us about your favorites:
Thank you to the many who wrote us in response to last week’s query. Here is some of what we learned:
Recent Times reporting about education
Finally, here’s what students told us about how they grew and changed this school year.
Students reflect on the successes, challenges and life-changing lessons of the 2025-26 academic year. Here are just a few, but we hope you’ll read them all. This year, I was astonished at how much more work and responsibilities I could handle, and how more efficient I have become. I no longer focused on perfection, but instead the learning and getting the work done. This school year, I read “Atomic Habits.” Flipping through the pages, I learned to use my environment to my advantage — such as studying at the library to do homework, and having a separate room for relaxation. I also learned Habit Stacking — a concept where I would perform one habit right after another. These two concepts alone have transformed my life completely. — Ray, Scotch Plains, NJ I learned that surrounding yourself with mature and kind people can lighten the load of high school. — Ava, Elk Rapids High School, MI This school year, I think the biggest way I grew was in how I analyze things: not just consuming media or information, but actually pulling it apart and forming real arguments about it. I’ve always been into anime, animation, and gaming, but this year I started going deeper. I’m not just watching “The Boys” or “Jujutsu Kaisen” anymore, I’m thinking about what a character’s arc means, what the writers were going for, and whether they actually pulled it off. — Lucas This year, the person I want to thank the most is myself. I challenged myself to stop being trapped by negative emotions and started learning how to better understand my feelings. I began writing down my thoughts and emotions, which helped me become more aware of my mental state and take better care of myself. I realized that only after dealing with my inner emotions can I truly face others and the challenges of the outside world. — Illiza, Taiwan We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to LNfeedback@nytimes.com.
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