Good teachers get recognized more than once.

That’s the case for Warwick resident Alicia Marques-Jordan, who has been named Teacher of the Year for a second time for incorporating technology into her physical education class.

The Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (RIAHPERD) recognized Alicia Marques-Jordan’s efforts for her work at Anna M. McCabe Elementary School in Smithfield. This is her 12th year teaching at the school.

After taking maternity leave in 2010 for two years, Marques-Jordan said that technology became so prominent with her return that she felt she had to include it in her curriculum.

“My first year back I learned how to use an iPad, bought one, and found out there’s a million ways to use them in classrooms and gymnasiums,” said Marques-Jordan.

The iPad “revolutionized” her way of teaching. She uses the device for keeping score, attendance, noting behavior and for videoing the students’ skills. If the student permits her showing the video, she projects the student performing a specific skill onto a screen so the others can learn from it. She breaks the video down using a slow motion feature. She refers to it as her version of ESPN’s “Sports Center.” She shows videos of students throwing, rolling, kicking, swinging rackets or baseballs, pivoting and running in form.  

Winning the award this year was different than the first time in 2007. Now, she is married and has 3-year-old twins. When life started running its course, Marques-Jordan wasn’t sure if she would be able to balance her home life with her work. With this second recognition, Marques-Jordan knows she was successful. She began her studies at Roger Williams University but later transferred to Rhode Island College where she earned a degree in Health and Physical Education. Ironically, she said others always told her that she would end up being a P.E. teacher.

It’s important for Marques-Jordan that her students do not feel how she felt during her high school P.E. classes. She strives to make a non-competitive environment and one where the games include everybody. She created a new game similar to the television show “Survivor” where students are sorted into tribes and have to problem-solve challenges.

“I use television for students so class is interesting and to show them that they can still be active,” said Marques-Jordan. “You can still watch TV and play outside.”

She said TV is the biggest obstacle for teachers, but she is finding ways to motivate kids.

She plans to keep implementing technology into this year’s curriculum. Marques-Jordan said she refers to the Twitter account, PE Geeks, which comprises ideas and resources for P.E. teachers around the world, for new lesson plans.

For this year’s RIAHPERD’s annual conference, Marques-Jordan will talk about the advantages of incorporating technology into P.E. classes and wants to show her colleagues that technology isn’t something to fear.

The same week that she was given the award, Marques-Jordan was also accepted to the graduate program for education at Ohio State University and will start with online classes.

“I have a fun job, and not many people can truly say that,” she said.