ROBERTSDALE, Ala.  —-   Working with and teaching children with physical, emotional and behavioral problems takes lots of patience and dedication and most days is a thankless job.

But for Alicia Duncan, Pathways special education teacher at Robertsdale Elementary School, it’s more than a job, it’s a passion for helping kids succeed no matter what their limitations.

And that passion earned Duncan “Teacher of the Year” honors recently. “I was completely surprised and shocked when Mrs. Sheppard called my name. I had no idea I would get this but I’m very appreciative .”

Sheppard, RES principal, said it takes a special person to do Duncan’s job.  “Alicia works extremely hard and deals with so many behavior issues on a daily basis. She is so patient and knowledgeable about her subject and works well with the regular education teachers.”

Nominated by and voted on by her peers, this is the first time Duncan has received this honor in the three years she has been at RES. Graduating from Daphne High School in 1997 and getting a B.A. in Special Education from the University of South Alabama in 2004, Duncan worked as a 6th grade inclusion teacher at Bay Minette Middle School and as a  multi-disabled teacher at Bay Minette Elementary School in 2005.

Duncan began at RES in 2006 and asked if she could teach the Pathways class because she was working on her Master’s degree from the University of West Florida in curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Applied Behavior and thought it would be good experience. She finished her master’s work in December, 2009.

She is also in the process of getting board certified to become a behavior analyst. “I would be able to work with kids with behavior disorders and do some consultation work with others teachers and schools.”

With two kindergartners, one first, second and fourth grader, two fifth graders and one sixth grader, Duncan has her hands full but she also had two aides, Laurie Smith and Janet Salter, that are a huge help to her.

“I couldn’t do this job without them. They are so good with the kids and they deserve this award as much as I do,” Duncan said.

The belief that all kids ave the ability to learn is the inspiration that led Duncan to the teaching field and she strives to find what makes each kids tick and how they learn best.  “It takes a while to figure out how to break through to them and I have to use several different methods until I find the right one.”

Using lots of hands-on activities and role-playing plus using the SmartBoard has really made a difference in how well the kids are doing.

“The challenge is finding what motivates them and gets them back into the regular classroom. I deal with so many different behavior disorders in one room that it’s hard to find what works, But we do our best to teach them social and emotional coping skills and the SmartBoard is a great tool for us,” Duncan said.

Because hers is not a traditional classroom, Duncan uses a level system to manage behavior and also teaches the kids anger management and relaxation techniques to help them.

“Each student learns to manage his or her own behavior. The system is individualized for each student by utilizing preference assessments in order to determine the student’s likes and dislikes. Once this is determined, the free time items the student will have access to are placed into groups: Level 4 (favorites), Level 3 (likes), Level 2 (not much fun) and Level 1 (no fun). My staff and I calculate the student percentages of pluses and minuses at each free time, which determines their level,” Duncan explained.

Not everyone is cut out to work with children with behavioral disorders, Duncan said. “The kids can be very abrasive and cruel and it takes getting used to but once you get through to them, it’s better. They don’t cope with change well and trying to teach them academics with their behavior issues is really hard. The thing is they are really smart and have high IQ’s but their behavior makes it hard for them to be in a regular classroom.”

The best part for Duncan is when she does break through and sees them making progress and actually using the strategies she has taught them. “That is so rewarding when you see success and that’s why I do this. It’s tough but I love it. I have lots of hope for the kindergartners because they are so young and I feel like I can make a difference with them.”

When they do well enough, they are dismissed from the program and are allowed to return to their regular classroom, Duncan said.

Structure and order are a large part of Duncan’s classroom and a daily routine is essential for them to succeed. “They thrive on routine and they know exactly what i expect and what we are going to do each day.”

Away from the classroom, Duncan is busy being a wife and mommy to her husband Jeff and two year old daughter Jillian. Professionally, she is a member of the Christian Educators Association and the Association of Behavior Analyst.