To an untrained eye, the “gross motor room” at the Edgerley Family Horizons Center in Boston looks like any other indoor gym for preschoolers. There are mats on the floor, large foam blocks, shapes and stairs to play with and climb on, fabric swings hanging from the ceiling and sensory boards attached to the walls, […]
Jackie Mader
What I do: I write stories on the early years of childhood, spanning child care, early elementary school, family policy and prenatal health. I also write Hechinger’s biweekly Early Childhood newsletter.
My background: I have been an education journalist since 2012. I started my career as an intern at The Hechinger Report, and was then hired as a staff writer, covering K-12, special education, teacher preparation and education in Mississippi. During this time, I also wrote the rural education blog at Education Week. In 2015, I moved to the early childhood beat, zeroing in on issues that intersect with child brain development, families, child care, pre-K and early elementary school. Before journalism, I taught special education, an experience that is the foundation of my dedication to this work. I believe the early childhood years are the most critical part of a child’s life and hold immense power to shape their success. I love getting to explain this to readers by translating research, visiting early learning programs and sharing the lives of families and children. My work has won beat reporting and feature writing awards from the Education Writers Association, and I have been a fellow at what was formerly the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma as well as a Spencer Education Reporting Fellow at Columbia Journalism School.
Journalistic ethics: It’s my job as a reporter to make sure I am fair and accurate in my reporting. I do not accept any gifts or special considerations from sources or potential sources. Because I often report on very young children, I seek permission from parents and make sure I have media releases for any minor who I speak to or photograph. I have been trained in best practices for speaking to children, especially around traumatic events. I fact-check quotes and details with sources before they are published. Our newsroom is guided by our code of ethics and also informed by the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics, which requires journalists to seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable and transparent.
Phone: 212-678-3562
Signal: jemader.60
Bluesky: @jackiemader.bsky.social
X: @jackiemader
