The 30-year resident of the Los Gatos mountains couldn't believe she'd been chosen as this year's recipient of the "Teacher of the Year" award from the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District and the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Cardoso was extremely appreciative of the recognition she received from her co-workers.

Cardoso was distinguished along with 30 other recipients of this award from throughout the county at the 35th annual teacher recognition awards ceremony in September at the San José Repertory Theatre.

Cardoso, a longtime resource teacher in the Loma Prieta district, calls her classroom Koko's Habitat, named after the famous gorilla that learned sign language from a young Stanford graduate student.

"These kids really need a comfort zone. I call it a free zone," Cardoso said. "They can make a mistake in here and it doesn't matter."

Cardoso said the phonics- and literature-based program she teaches, with the help of teaching aides, is structured to meet the individual needs of her students.

"Some of them have learning differences," Cardoso said. "I try to find out what that learning difference is and teach to that."

When her students are pulled out of their classes to meet with Cardoso, they understand they are going to "Koko's Habitat," rather than a resource room or place for special-education students.

"Sometimes you don't want to be pulled out of class because you are different," she said.

Cardoso spends three years with most of her students, and the walls and shelves of her classroom are covered with colorful activities and aids to help visual, auditory and hands-on learners. In addition to academics, Cardoso said 70 percent of her job is building the confidence of her students.

"Althea brings a high level of professionalism to the whole special-education department," said Diana Hallock, the new principal of Loma Prieta Elementary School and C.T. English Middle School. "She was one of the first people I met when I came to the district."

Hallock described the "Teacher of the Year" award as an acknowledgment of Cardoso's commitment to her students and their families.

"She really has a working knowledge of each child," Hallock said.

Cardoso's extreme patience with children with memory problems and learning difficulties is evident in how she interacts with them. Hallock said Cardoso's soft-spoken voice and nonintimidating manner sets an inviting tone in her classroom.

"What I respect and appreciate from Althea is her constant commitment and her willingness to seek options for our students and to try to be creative with our limited resources in a small district," said Loma Prieta District Superintendent Henry Castaniada. "Every superintendent is concerned regarding meeting the needs in the area of special education."

He said Cardoso "goes the extra mile" to build the best possible learning environment for her students.

"They say that teachers transform lives, and Althea epitomizes that," he said.