What's in Practical Homeschooling #79?

FEATURES

• 2007 Interactive Learning Awards -- what are the 151 best software programs and educational websites?
• The Art Contest winners -- a smorgasbord of creativity from our younger readers
• "How I Taught My Children Leadership" Jeannette Webb lets us in on some of the secrets that have led to her children's outstanding success
• Naomi Pride takes us behind the scenes at Awana Clubs
• A "regular" homeschool day in Denver, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska
• The amazing story of a family whose children start college at 11 or 12 years old (no, it's not the Swanns!)
• An inspiring reminder of why some of our best work is done "behind the scenes"

COLUMNS

• How to make Christmas more like it used to be, by Mary Pride
• Educational inventor Frank Armbruster provides step-by-step instructions for making toys that help your preschoolers learn to read -- from cans!
• Inexpensive group activities and field trips, by Melissa Morgan, co-author of Homeschooling on a Shoestring
• Every academic specialization has its own "foreign language," and Canada's National Educator Literacy Award winner Michael Maloney explains how to learn it fluently
• M.I.T. graduate (and future optometry student) Bill Pride explains the moves you need to make to get into medical school, starting in high school
• Education expert Sam Blumenfeld with a thoughtful piece on why novel reading can be good for you
• Jeannette Webb, recipient of the Presidential Scholar Distinguished Teacher Award, with Part 1 of a two-part series on the how-tos and benefits of mentors for your child

NEWS

• Canadian report makes a strong case for homeschooling
• Homeschool cataloger operates separate sites for Christian and LDS customers
• Autism resources from another cataloger
• Free outline map of USA with state boundaries, more
• Creation magazine is still around, and where to find it

SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

• New writing and essay courses takes unusual approach that teaches parents how to provide useful feedback

MORE REVIEWS

• A course for kids in how to play drums
• Organizers that help you get into (and succeed at) college
• Games that help increase a child's attention span
• A kit for making cards
• A guide to "All-American" colleges
• How-to drawing book for very young children
• Unusual "world religions and philosophies" course-in-a-book

SOFTWARE REVIEWS

• EarMaster 5 ear training software
• eMedia Intermediate Piano & Keyboard Method
• Playing Music from Viva Media

PLUS...

• Contests for subscribers
• Envelope Gallery of homeschooled kids' art
• Ads with special offers