A Passion for Art and Education

By Jessica Peng

June 25, 2024

This year, the Jericho community welcomed a new art teacher, Ms. Rochford. Ms. Rochford, who previously worked at an elementary school and also taught 8th Grade Art at Jericho Middle School, now teaches Art at both Jericho Middle School and High School. She hopes to benefit the community and environment for both students and teachers here at Jericho.

Ms. Rochford was inspired by the women in her family to become a teacher. Her mother, grandmother, and aunt all worked jobs related to education. She remembers, “Growing up, I would always go with [my aunt] to set up her classroom in the summer, and help her just get everything ready.” Ms. Rochford would also help her aunt create end-of-the-year gifts for her students. 

Ms. Rochford attended the University of Maryland, majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Art History. She later received her Masters degree from Columbia Teachers College. Before teaching at Jericho, Ms. Rochford taught “in the Long Beach Public Schools, and three of their four elementary schools.” Ms. Rochford pointed out, “I wanted to be a teacher, and then I kind of pushed it to the side, and then I wanted to do something with art, and it was the perfect bridge of the two.”  Her passion for both teaching and art gave her the opportunity to provide students with guidance in a subject that she values and believes is important.

Art is a subject that accounts for students’ creativity, as well as their perspective. Teaching art can aid students in developing critical thinking skills and problem solving skills and may also allow students to express themselves in a particular or unique way. “I think seeing students' creativity is a really beautiful thing, and giving students the chance to sort of take risks, problem solve, and flex their creative muscles in a safe and structured environment is something that is great to be able to provide them with. I love having the opportunity,” Ms. Rochford stated. She believes that art teaches students and people to understand that there is never only one correct way to respond to anything, and allows students to see the world in a different perspective. 

Teachers who value art such as Ms. Rochford continue to benefit our community in many ways, allowing students to express their creativity and emotion. Jericho not only provides students a mandatory art curriculum for all middle schoolers, but also provides electives related to art. Thanks to teachers like Ms. Rochford, students have the opportunity to continue developing their artistic skill through creative expression.