XPost: Prufrock Press?

[rowan25]

Can anyone tell me anything about Prufrock Press? I stumbled across them by accident and it may be what I've been searching for my whole life. Pros, cons, things to know, stuff to avoid. Anything at all would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[nmoira]

I've found their products to be hit and miss. I order promiscuously during their yearly clearance sale ($1 and $2 per book), but end up not using much of this material. Often it's too classroom oriented for our needs. I find though that the previews give a good indication as to the nature of the book.

 

Here's what we have used and plan to use. I think Prufrock is a distributor, rather than publisher, of the Zaccaro books.

 

Finished:

Primary Grade Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

Can You Count in Greek? (great fun, combines math and history)

Logic Countdown/Logic Liftoff/Orbiting With Logic (excellent)

It's Alive/It's Alive and Kicking (OK)

 

Working Through:

Becoming a Problem Solving Genius (Zaccaro)

Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

 

Near Future:

Alien Math (almost out at Amazon, no longer available through Prufrock; an examination of number bases, including basic operations in different systems)

Piece of Pi (looks OK)

[radiobrain]

I've found their products to be hit and miss. I order promiscuously during their yearly clearance sale ($1 and $2 per book), but end up not using much of this material. Often it's too classroom oriented for our needs. I find though that the previews give a good indication as to the nature of the book.

 

Here's what we have used and plan to use. I think Prufrock is a distributor, rather than publisher, of the Zaccaro books.

 

Finished:

Primary Grade Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

Can You Count in Greek? (great fun, combines math and history)

Logic Countdown/Logic Liftoff/Orbiting With Logic (excellent)

It's Alive/It's Alive and Kicking (OK)

 

Working Through:

Becoming a Problem Solving Genius (Zaccaro)

Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

 

Near Future:

Alien Math (almost out at Amazon, no longer available through Prufrock; an examination of number bases, including basic operations in different systems)

Piece of Pi (looks OK)

 

:iagree: This cracks me UP! I either own, or am planning to use every one of those books! :D

 

Also, the "dandylion" books, like "primarily logic" "primarily reference skills" "primarily..." all are pretty good for the younger set, though extremely worksheet-y... but good content if you are going to go there...

[MissKNG]

 

Finished:

Primary Grade Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

 

 

 

Did you like this? I'm planning on buying this when dd gets a bit older along with the Patterns curriculum (1st grade)...

[rafiki]

.

[abbeyej]

I used a couple of the Zaccaro books with ds when he was younger. I should order some of the ones geared for older students for him, and pull out the Primary Grade Challenge Math book for dd. I think they're pretty good. The math is not as challenging as the math in Singapore's Challenging World Problems (which, btw, I *think* is now available in a version published by Frank Schaffer under the name "Must-Know Word Problems" -- but I'm not *sure* they're the same thing), and it doesn't require the wild creative thinking of some of the Math Olympiad problems -- but Challenge Math does a great job of giving kids word problems that relate to the real world in interesting ways and require more thought than found in most standard programs.

 

Hickory Grove Press is the publisher for Zaccaro's books, and they too have a range of interesting things on their website...

 

I've used Orbiting with Logic with my older one, and will likely use the others in the series with my younger one... I think the series is also pretty good. The present a range of types of logic problems in a fairly systematic order. As pre-logic books, they're well-designed and entertaining. Indispensable? Nah. If it were a matter of time, I'd rather my bright kiddos focus on Latin, English grammar, mathematics, and plenty of reading and writing. I think all of those things are truly better preparation for real logic studies as they get older. But these are fun, challenging, and if kids have time, they're well-designed for what they are.

 

I've used some of the "Primarily" books with my younger one, and they were pretty good. Primarily Logic and a couple of others (I can't get the website to load right now, or I'd check to see exactly which titles...)

 

Some of the books just offer the same type of problems we've gotten elsewhere, in, say, Perplexors and Grid Perplexors (from Mindware), or that we've gotten from Critical Thinking Press. I wouldn't say the Prufrock ones are particularly better, worse, or even different. As someone else said, the samples on the website are useful -- there are other books there that simply don't appeal...

 

I don't really consider any of these things vital school work. They're fun. They're great for filling in time. They provide an enjoyable challenge and in some ways make kids better at solving a certain sort of problem...

[MissKNG]

I used a couple of the Zaccaro books with ds when he was younger. I should order some of the ones geared for older students for him, and pull out the Primary Grade Challenge Math book for dd. I think they're pretty good. The math is not as challenging as the math in Singapore's Challenging World Problems (which, btw, I *think* is now available in a version published by Frank Schaffer under the name "Must-Know Word Problems" -- but I'm not *sure* they're the same thing), and it doesn't require the wild creative thinking of some of the Math Olympiad problems -- but Challenge Math does a great job of giving kids word problems that relate to the real world in interesting ways and require more thought than found in most standard programs.

..

 

They advertise that the math and science inter-weaves. Is that what you meant here? That is the reason why I was interested in this math book because of them saying they interweave math and science together.

[rowan25]

I've found their products to be hit and miss. I order promiscuously during their yearly clearance sale ($1 and $2 per book), but end up not using much of this material. Often it's too classroom oriented for our needs. I find though that the previews give a good indication as to the nature of the book.

 

Here's what we have used and plan to use. I think Prufrock is a distributor, rather than publisher, of the Zaccaro books.

 

Finished:

Primary Grade Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

Can You Count in Greek? (great fun, combines math and history)

Logic Countdown/Logic Liftoff/Orbiting With Logic (excellent)

It's Alive/It's Alive and Kicking (OK)

 

Working Through:

Becoming a Problem Solving Genius (Zaccaro)

Challenge Math (Zaccaro)

 

Near Future:

Alien Math (almost out at Amazon, no longer available through Prufrock; an examination of number bases, including basic operations in different systems)

Piece of Pi (looks OK)

 

I wondered about this. Any thoughts on the Language Arts stuff?

[MissKNG]

I wondered about this. Any thoughts on the Language Arts stuff?

 

 

For Language Arts, I was thinking about The Critical Thinking Company's Language Smarts. I like CTC's math stuff so I thought about checking this out for the fall.

[rowan25]

For Language Arts, I was thinking about The Critical Thinking Company's Language Smarts. I like CTC's math stuff so I thought about checking this out for the fall.

Thanks!!

[nmoira]

The problems in Primary Grade Challenge Math are usually one or two step problems, and so as word problems are not as challenging as CWP. However, a number of concepts are introduced that are not part of the standard Gr 1-4 math sequence, including ratios, square roots and exponents, basic algebra, and the interrelationship of decimals, percents, negative numbers and fractions. There's also great emphasis on thinking about operations as functions (in the guise of machines), although they're not called that. The problems themselves are engaging and largely drawn from real world examples.

 

The Frank Schaffer books are not the CWP repackaged. There are far fewer problems, and, while the solutions are in the back, there does not appear to be much of the "Singapore way" incorporated other than the inclusion of the bar diagrams. The samples I saw showed solutions encouraging the use of vertical addition for even the simplest problems, without even a token nod to mental math. However, this doesn't mean the books are of no value, especially since SingaporeMath.com has not yet published its replacement series (due out some time next year).

[nmoira]

They advertise that the math and science inter-weaves. Is that what you meant here? That is the reason why I was interested in this math book because of them saying they interweave math and science together.

Not in an in depth manner.

 

You might be interested in Life of Fred: Prealgebra with Biology (perhaps using LoF: Fractions and LoF: Decimals and Percents first). While the biology book isn't comprehensive, there's a fair bit of science included.

[GoVanGogh]

 

For Language Arts, I was thinking about The Critical Thinking Company's Language Smarts. I like CTC's math stuff so I thought about checking this out for the fall.

I have used their math program since preK - will be starting 3rd grade math in January. Love their math - but not so much their LA. It was just too much busywork for DS. His reading level and interest level are so much higher than his fine motor skills. Probably good for some kids, just not mine.

[abbeyej]

The Frank Schaffer books are not the CWP repackaged. There are far fewer problems, and, while the solutions are in the back, there does not appear to be much of the "Singapore way" incorporated other than the inclusion of the bar diagrams. The samples I saw showed solutions encouraging the use of vertical addition for even the simplest problems, without even a token nod to mental math. However, this doesn't mean the books are of no value, especially since SingaporeMath.com has not yet published its replacement series (due out some time next year).

 

That's unfortunate. I was hoping they were basically just repackaged. Darn.

[rowan25]

I have used their math program since preK - will be starting 3rd grade math in January. Love their math - but not so much their LA. It was just too much busywork for DS. His reading level and interest level are so much higher than his fine motor skills. Probably good for some kids, just not mine.

Thank you. I am much more interested in Language Arts stuff, as dd is only slightly above level in math. MUS is working very well for us, so we're sticking with it.

 

However any aspects of the Language Arts are problematic since she is not physically capable of the amount of writing necessary for the older levels and hates doing everything orally. :001_huh: She's at least 2-3 grade levels ahead in these subjects. So any info people can give toward the Language Arts end of the world is much appreciated. :tongue_smilie:

[Amber in AUS]

My DD is ahead in the LA area too although she doesn't have the stamina for writing loads. We have just started Shurley English and will use the grammar portion. Most of it can be done on the white board and we have started with grade 2 level. So far so good, but we are only a few lessons in. My plan is to skip from 2 to 4 and then possibly into MCT.

 

We have begun WWE which she finds easy. I will probably compress it some so as not to bore her. The copywork is good because i don't ask for much writing really. She narrates very well and could probably go to WWE 2 but i am not in a rush. I will keep the pace up so as not to bore her.

 

We are also doing AAS. She is a natural speller but finds the white board fun and as we are doing no other phonics program i am happy to plug away here. She reads fluently.

 

My personal opinion is that at this point i want to show her all of the tools available and start putting some of them in her toolbox. Then when she is physically capable of writing more than a couple of sentences she will already be laden with all the tools and just need the creativity. She already wants to be an author and has been writing little books on her own time for weeks, she wants to sell them to the relatives!

 

I guess the most important thing is to watch your kid and how they interact with the program. Don't just do the next thing or the next problem if they have a sound grasp move on. Most G&T kids don't need all of the repetition. I LOVE it when i can see my DD being challenged, i know i am on the right path, the light bulb moments with something new are awesome. So keep on challenging at the right level :)

[Dinsfamily]

I've found their products to be hit and miss. I order promiscuously during their yearly clearance sale ($1 and $2 per book), but end up not using much of this material. Often it's too classroom oriented for our needs. I find though that the previews give a good indication as to the nature of the book.

 

 

 

Is their clearance sale at the end of the year? I really want to get Primary Math for my ds, but I could wait for the sale.

[nmoira]

 

Is their clearance sale at the end of the year? I really want to get Primary Math for my ds, but I could wait for the sale.

If you mean Primary Grade Challenge Math, that is something that will never go on clearance. I think the cheapest place to get it is Amazon. Primarily Math may go on clearance, but there's no guarantee. If you get on Prufrock's email list, they'll send you a heads-up when the clearance sale is about to start. Last year's clearance sale was held at the end of May.

[Julie of KY]

Some things I've used:

 

Mystery Disease - love this; I've taught it in a co-op setting, but it'd be great to do on your own as well.

Mystery River - not as good as Mystery Disease

Mathematical Mystery Tour - fascinating for the student interested in numbers, not so good if math doesn't peak your interest

 

Detective Club - great and fun

More Detective Club - great

Logic Safari - great

The Great Chocolate Caper - great

 

Primary Math Challenge Problems - I wasn't too impressed with this; we do Singapore's Challenging Word Problems

 

Anatomy Academy - lots of great info and ideas, but very workbooky

 

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. I've bought several other things on clearance, but many of them are more geared toward the classroom.

[Dinsfamily]

If you mean Primary Grade Challenge Math, that is something that will never go on clearance. I think the cheapest place to get it is Amazon. Primarily Math may go on clearance, but there's no guarantee. If you get on Prufrock's email list, they'll send you a heads-up when the clearance sale is about to start. Last year's clearance sale was held at the end of May.

 

That is what I meant. Bummer. I guess I'll buy it off of amazon. I am on their e-mail list and I'm glad I know that they have a clearance now. Thanks!

[Crimson Wife]

Thank you. I am much more interested in Language Arts stuff, as dd is only slightly above level in math....However any aspects of the Language Arts are problematic since she is not physically capable of the amount of writing necessary for the older levels and hates doing everything orally. :001_huh: She's at least 2-3 grade levels ahead in these subjects. So any info people can give toward the Language Arts end of the world is much appreciated. :tongue_smilie:

 

We've used some of the Prufrock LA materials. Red Hot Root Words & 21st Century Analogies are the ones of theirs that we've used this year. We may have done others in the past but my DD runs through LA workbooks so quickly that it's hard to keep them all straight. She does workbooks for fun (seriously!) and I've always got a stack on hand from various sources.

 

The Prufrock LA workbooks we've used are mostly multiple choice, matching, and True/False type problems similar to the Critical Thinking Press workbooks. My DD struggles with physically writing answers so she loves these. If you're looking for GATE materials that try to get kids thinking higher on Bloom's Taxonomy, these aren't for you. But if you're looking for something to help your kid down the road with standardized tests, these are excellent.

[rowan25]

We've used some of the Prufrock LA materials. Red Hot Root Words & 21st Century Analogies are the ones of theirs that we've used this year. We may have done others in the past but my DD runs through LA workbooks so quickly that it's hard to keep them all straight. She does workbooks for fun (seriously!) and I've always got a stack on hand from various sources.

 

The Prufrock LA workbooks we've used are mostly multiple choice, matching, and True/False type problems similar to the Critical Thinking Press workbooks. My DD struggles with physically writing answers so she loves these. If you're looking for GATE materials that try to get kids thinking higher on Bloom's Taxonomy, these aren't for you. But if you're looking for something to help your kid down the road with standardized tests, these are excellent.

This sounds good for now. We can rely on oral stuff for the higher level thinking for right now. Thanks!!! :)