Photography and Middle School Art teacher Ms. Jaclyn Cantor has turned her hobby of photography into a passion and a career.

Art teacher Ms. Jaclyn Cantor never planned on teaching at a private or a middle school. Now, she celebrates teaching both at Malvern for 20 years.

Cantor has been teaching kids since before arriving on campus. “I did three years of a long term sub job for the West Chester/Great Valley school district. Prior to that I was a Peace Corps Volunteer,” Cantor said.  

Cantor finally came to Malvern after hearing about a job opening through a friend.

“A friend of mine who knew Mrs. White [art teacher] said they were looking for a photo teacher. I couldn’t keep doing what I was doing…and that’s how I ended at Malvern,” Cantor said.

While Cantor has had teaching experience before, she was expecting some changes in the behavior of students at Malvern but did not see many.

“I was used to public [school] education, and I would think some of the issues that some students have aren’t expected here. I think I was kind of naive in thinking that,” Cantor said.

Being a photography teacher, Cantor has a long history with taking photos. “In high school, it was the only class I got an A in…and college actually,” she said.

Cantor doesn’t claim to have a single favorite photo she has taken, but she likes different ones, two of which being “The Laramie Project,” a musical put on by Malvern, and another of the facade of a building.

“I have these in my teacher resume,” Cantor said.

Teaching both the Middle and Upper Schools, Cantor has to treat her two classes very differently.

“Middle School is more discipline and classroom management,” Cantor said. “It’s a required class, so you kind of have to steer the kids that actually want to learn art, so you have to do the best you can.  For the high school kids, they usually want to take photos.”

Because taking photos is not just a job to Cantor, she is making plans for some of the sceneries she wishes to capture.

“I would love to go back out west to photograph, a backpacking trip. I went out to Colorado last spring, and I would love to again, maybe next spring,” she said.

Outside of teaching and photography, Cantor loves to spend her time solving puzzles and flying kites.

“I’m a huge nerd,” Cantor said. “Last summer my family and I were at the beach, and it was my favorite time of day. And it was just us on the beach flying kites on the beach…that’s fun for me.”