Just chalk it up to innovation

"I've seen such a growth in my children," Miss Thorpe says. "It would be ideal for every classroom to have a whiteboard. The children are able to perform and make more of a connection with real life."

Hannah Andrews, 8, of Crownsville, Md., a student in Miss Thorpe's class, likes the calculator on the whiteboard.

"It helps me learn better and makes learning more fun," Hannah says. "It's a special treat to learn through it."

Robert Chaney, 8, of Millersville, another student in Miss Thorpe's class, likes the electric pencil that accompanies the board.

"You can write math problems on it," Robert says. "It doesn't feel like an ordinary pencil."

Teachers have been hosting activities for children to raise money for the whiteboards and their accessories at Millersville Elementary, says Diana Strohecker, principal of the school. She has a doctorate in education in human communication and its disorders.

Every classroom in the school, kindergarten through fifth grade, including special education and music classrooms, has a Promethean whiteboard, she says.

Being able to evaluate the students before test time is one of Ms. Strohecker's favorite things about the boards.

By using the hand-held remote devices called Activotes, teachers can test students at the end of each lesson. They can even see which students struggled with certain questions.

"If you wait until the Friday test or the end-of-the-unit test, it's too late," Ms. Strohecker says. "Throughout teaching and instruction, it's key to have formative instruction."

If Promethean boards can help create more educated youths, the students will be able to contribute more to society, says Mark Elliott, president of the Americas division of Promethean in Atlanta.