"If they're willing to work, they can still get an A," he said.

All Plymouth fifth- and sixth-graders now learn math without books. Mangus also has helped secure donated computers for general computer labs for younger grades.

"I'm hoping people will see how valuable this is," Mangus said. "It's night and day to what those kids will learn using my method or using a textbook. . . . Textbooks only get in the way."

But books do come in handy occasionally, Mangus said.

That is, when the power's out. He says the books have been tapped once this year.

The American Star of Teaching Awards program is in its second year. It falls under the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, which includes workshops for teachers, teacher and principal roundtables, regular e-mail updates and free online professional development.

Utah is the 49th state visited for this year's awards; Hawaii and Texas teachers will receive honors in the next two weeks.

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com