SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

A Shelby County high school teacher has been chosen to serve with the 21st Century Fellows program, which helps raise awareness among educators about the best ways to teach today&8217;s Internet-savvy students.

Suzanne Culbreth, a geometry teacher and technology coordinator for Oak Mountain High School, was selected by the Alabama Best Practices Center (ABPC) for the program. A total of 10 teachers from Alabama, considered to the some of the state&8217;s most talented educators, were selected for the Fellows program.

The Fellows Program is a major component in a two-year ABPC initiative, funded by a Microsoft Corporation Partners in Learning grant. The program will engage a network of 40 schools in web-based conversations about 21st Century learning.

The Fellows will serve as facilitators for online professional development and will work with educators and the public &8220;face to face&8221; at selected meetings and schools.

The Fellows will also participate in training sessions to increase their own 21st Century knowledge and skills, working with virtual tools and environments and collaborating with like-minded colleagues.

&8220;Our goal is to help schools explore the future of teaching and learning,&8221; said Cathy Gassenheimer, president of ABPC.

&8220;They have a good grasp of what it means to be an effective teacher in today&8217;s high-tech, multi-tasking world. They will be key leaders in helping raise awareness about 21st Century learning.&8221;