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Is it necessary to learn ordinary music notation for guitar or is it sufficient to know how to read tabs? Is it worth the price to learn to read ordinary guitar sheets?

Many guitar books available with tablature notation will also have a staff above with the guitar sheet music notation. It is also very common today that classical guitar books also have a guitar tab staff below.

This was not very common a few decades ago. Tablature has by some guitarists been considered cheating. Is it cheating or is it a help to have tabs at your disposal?

Personally I have as a guitar teacher experienced many instances when tablature has been a great help to my pupils. however, I would be very happy if young musicians would put more energy into the endeavor to learn to read sheet music notation.

It is a great advantage to have a working knowledge on how to read and understand music scores and the various symbols pertaining to it.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of being able to read guitar music notation:

1. You will be able to play a piece of music the way the composer has intended without having heard it before. This is possible because music notation consists of descriptions concerning the pitch and also the length of the notes and other symbols telling you how to play the notes and performing the music.

2. You will have an enormous library of sheet music from various time periods at your disposal. It is possible to play music written for other instruments as well as music notation doesn’t describe how to play the notes on a particular instrument but more which notes to play. This makes it possible for a guitarist to play violin exercises and vocal scores and so on.

3. You will as a guitarist be able to write and arrange music for other instruments in your band making it possible to shorten the rehearsal time and facilitating the use of more complicated musical arrangements.

4. Being able to read and use sheet music will help you as a composer to notate all your ideas in a way that you will remember and that you easily can share with your friends and others.

Let’s look at the advantages of using guitar tablature:

1. Being a poor sheet music reader can hinder your from playing on the level of your techniqal skills. It’s a pity that many guitar pupils play just a few boring sheet music melodies when they could really be playing melodies using the entire fretboard just by the use of tablature.

2. It is very easy to describe chords, licks and complicated riffs with the help of tablature especially if you have audio examples of the music.

3. Tablature notation is still as easy to read even when you use alternative tunings as the tab notation still tells you only how to put your fingers. Using sheet music notation with alternative tunings on the guitar is a bit difficult to say the least.

4. Internet is flooded with more or less accurate tablature renditions of popular riffs, songs and more.

Okey, but what is the best alternative, guitar tablature or guitar sheet music?

My opinion is that you can use tablature as much as you want but I recommend you to really learn to read sheet music notation because of the many advantages you will reap from it.

If you start by learning the names of the notes on the frets of the guitar you have already gained an important skill that will help you as you start to learn the notes on a music score staff.

Peter Edvinsson
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/guitar-tablature-or-sheet-music-185276.html

Over the past decade, the rise of the Internet has dramatically changed the availability and presentation of piano music. Free downloads of sheet music — as well as audio recordings of piano performances — are easy to find in abundance through a simple Web search. Because of this, old-fashioned sheet music publication has been on the decline in favor of Web-based documents — image files, .pdf’s, eBooks, and other formats. As with a lot of technological change, this is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It’s just different. Today, conscientious adult piano players should have a basic understanding of the current state of sheet music publication, and where it is headed.

After all, when we examine our habits as consumers, we find that most of us tend to look for the cheapest and easiest options whenever possible. So these days, when there are so many free piano music downloads to be found all over the Internet, why would anyone ever pay money for sheet music?

In truth, more people cling to the old mediums of sheet music than one may think. And, of course, there is nothing wrong with this. Some people are simply not comfortable with the Internet, and may never be. Besides, what adult piano player doesn’t enjoy the look and feel of a thick, comprehensive collection of the piano works of Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, or Rachmaninoff? Most contemporary pianists learned how to play with such books, and most still own tons of those old, worn, and wrinkled collections. Until recently, these books were the lifeblood of the piano world, which had been the case ever since the advent of the printing press.

Indeed, something has certainly been lost in the decline in popularity of such books. “The Complete Piano Works of Beethoven,” for instance, holds pieces even the most passionate Beethoven fan might not know. In contrast, for years since the inception of the Internet, only the most popular works by the most famous composers have been available on the Web. When it comes to Beethoven, “Fur Elise” and “Moonlight Sonata” are easy to find on numerous sites, but what about more obscure works like “Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major?” For years, pianists were hard-pressed to find such works on the Internet.

Fortunately, the world of online piano sheet music is now working to overcome such shortcomings. Yes, “Fur Elise” is as easy to find as ever, but now, former no-shows such as “Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major” are almost just as available. This is thanks to a number of sites offering free downloads of piano music. The Mutopia Project, for instance — an online source of free piano music downloads — offers free piano music by hundreds of composers, from the origins of written music up to the 20th century.

Plus, piano teachers are now learning about the expansiveness of music available on the Web. Many piano teachers will tell you that the most difficult thing about their work is choosing pieces to perfectly suit the needs of a student. Because of the Internet, this is no longer such an issue. When a teacher feels that her student needs to learn a certain piece, that piece is likely available on the Internet. Just a few years ago, this wasn’t true. Now, thanks to the continued growth of the Web, almost every piece of piano music by every significant composer is available to download for free. Instead of those old, massive piano music collections, today’s piano teacher is more likely to use folders of sheet music printouts from the Web.

Of course, the availability of piano music free to download does not change the fact that many of us still love those old-fashioned piano books. After all, such books are still high-quality products, and they always make great gifts. Thus, even though the Internet is now a huge and ever-growing source of sheet music, the old mediums aren’t likely to disappear any time soon.

Duane Shinn
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-sheet-music-in-the-internet-age-329802.html

Let’s say you’re a budding music star. Maybe you play the piano. Like most living humans, you probably have internet access of some kind. Sure, it’s great for sending messages to friends, streaming silly videos, and downloading every piece of software under the sun.

But what about getting onto the internet in a better fashion? Doctors use online patient-record systems. Researchers barely step into libraries anymore. Scientists harness the power of cloud computing. So why should you, an excellent pianist, not be given a chance to download the same quality stuff that the rest of them can?

A Smaller Market

Because digital piano music is quite a niche market, and only useful to a small number of people, its representation online has flagged.

It’s out of date. Just as we’re downloading books to our Kindles, why should digital piano music be left behind? Shouldn’t there at least be a dependable voice online for digital sheet music we can rely on?

One Fundamental Problem

If you thought music digital-rights-management was arcane, you should see some of the sites selling piano transcriptions.

Some ask you to have a flawless printer, because you will only have one measley opportunity to get a hard copy of what you’ve bought. If something goes wrong, you’re out of luck.

Other sites offering classical music have hugely altering standards when we look at their files. Sometimes you’ll download a PDF, other times a set of GIFs that don’t print properly, and sometimes you’ll be left with a proprietary DRM that’s generally useless.

Sites With Forums are The Way to Go

The only real way to make sure the piano transcriptions you’re downloading is proper is from the reviews of other musicians. If other budding stars are using the PDFs, and claiming that they are quality, you can buy with confidence.

One of the leading piano transcriptions portals, PianoStreet.com, has also put into place a large set of message boards around its offerings. To tell the truth, the site was born out of a pre-existing forum, called pianoforum.net, so the sale of piano transcriptions was something that they transitioned to, not a straight-up business from the start.

Audio Samples Are Crucial, Too

Why download and pay for sheet music if you can’t hear what they should sound like? Yeah, we admit, your piano teacher may have the chops to play it for you, but if you’re learning alone, you’ll need to find a real recording to hear how it should sound.

A real digital sheet music company should give you loads of mp3 recordings of what they offer, adding a ton of value to the transcribed music in the first place. Companies like PianoStreet.com have hundreds of their most typical easy/intermediate pieces online in mp3 format, the very ones that any fresh musician is dying to learn.

Pay Once, Download Forever

While it’s true that content producers are stalling as much as possible, many acknowledge that the way of the future lies in subscription models, where you will give a fixed rate and get unlimited access.

Companies like PianoStreet.com have adopted this for their business approach, providing monthly memberships that permit the user unlimited access to high-quality sheet music.

The Best Online Source for Sheet Music

So it’s not all terrible. A select few sites, led by PianoStreet.com’s examples, are changing the way digital sheet music will be sold in the future. Ignore the rest and only use the best!

Vanessa
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/a-better-way-to-buy-your-sheet-music-946888.html

The goal of technology is to make people’s lives easier, more convenient, and better. Nowhere is this more prominently demonstrated than in audio books for the blind.

Our society has always been visual and is becoming increasingly so: from newspapers and books to computer screens, blind people have faced the struggle of accessing information that is readily available to most other people. The ability to read a book or newspaper is taken for granted by many of us, but it is a pleasure that is often denied the blind.

Today’s biggest technological advancements - computers and internet access - provide an opportunity to view even more information, but in a format that is difficult for those with visual impairments. Braille, of course, is one method that blind people can enjoy written language and learn. However, this tactile form of reading is expensive, making it unhelpful for many who are blind.

With one seemingly simple advancement, doors to gaining information, being entertained, and staying current with the news were thrown open: enter audio books for the blind.

For the first time, visually impaired people could go online and download their choice of books. The mass production of audio books for the blind, the opportunity came to learn in a way that had never been available before. In addition, the audio books were inexpensive or even free, making them accessible to most blind people.

Technology really can help improve and enhance people’s lives: in the case of audio books, it has helped blind and visually impaired individuals obtain knowledge in a way that they couldn’t just five or ten years previous.

Art, music, drama, history, geography, economics, current events, fiction, biographies, poetry - no genre, subject, or style is off limits when it comes to audio books. Visually impaired people have access to the world of knowledge that was previously housed in books, newspapers, or magazines.

In the area of education, audio books have been particularly helpful and effective. Core subjects of reading, writing, math, and science are able to be learned through audio books, making easy access to education a right enjoyed by the blind and visually impaired.

There is more to audio books than education. They can be accessed solely for the pleasure of hearing a story. Thousands of titles are available in audio formats, including popular and contemporary authors, classics, fiction, non-fiction, and much more.

With all the technological advancements being made, it is easy to forget the people that are an integral part of the equation. Audio books for the blind are an example of technology at its best and most helpful.

Brad Morgan
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/audio-books-for-the-blind-technology-bridges-the-gap-593912.html

The goal of technology is to make people’s lives easier, more convenient, and better. Nowhere is this more prominently demonstrated than in audio books for the blind.

Our society has always been visual and is becoming increasingly so: from newspapers and books to computer screens, blind people have faced the struggle of accessing information that is readily available to most other people. The ability to read a book or newspaper is taken for granted by many of us, but it is a pleasure that is often denied the blind.

Today’s biggest technological advancements - computers and internet access - provide an opportunity to view even more information, but in a format that is difficult for those with visual impairments. Braille, of course, is one method that blind people can enjoy written language and learn. However, this tactile form of reading is expensive, making it unhelpful for many who are blind.

With one seemingly simple advancement, doors to gaining information, being entertained, and staying current with the news were thrown open: enter audio books for the blind.

For the first time, visually impaired people could go online and download their choice of books. The mass production of audio books for the blind, the opportunity came to learn in a way that had never been available before. In addition, the audio books were inexpensive or even free, making them accessible to most blind people.

Technology really can help improve and enhance people’s lives: in the case of audio books, it has helped blind and visually impaired individuals obtain knowledge in a way that they couldn’t just five or ten years previous.

Art, music, drama, history, geography, economics, current events, fiction, biographies, poetry - no genre, subject, or style is off limits when it comes to audio books. Visually impaired people have access to the world of knowledge that was previously housed in books, newspapers, or magazines.

In the area of education, audio books have been particularly helpful and effective. Core subjects of reading, writing, math, and science are able to be learned through audio books, making easy access to education a right enjoyed by the blind and visually impaired.

There is more to audio books than education. They can be accessed solely for the pleasure of hearing a story. Thousands of titles are available in audio formats, including popular and contemporary authors, classics, fiction, non-fiction, and much more.

With all the technological advancements being made, it is easy to forget the people that are an integral part of the equation. Audio books for the blind are an example of technology at its best and most helpful.

Brad Morgan
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/audio-books-for-the-blind-technology-bridges-the-gap-593912.html

MySpace was the brain-child of university graduates Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe and was founded in the summer of 2003. Upon its inception, the site quickly jumped to commercial success and in 2005 was sold to a news corporation – one of Rupert Murdoch’s many. The website grew in size and popularity with users all over the world ranging from teenagers to aging men and women, who used it for a variety of different purposes. Today, it is ranked as one of the top ten websites on the World Wide Web.

MySpace is essentially a social networking service, which allows users to communicate with existing friends, make new ones, and share photos, music, messages and interests, -amongst a zillion other things – with a large and ever-growing community. Users can send emails within the website, post photos and videos, listen to new music and even create their own blogs where they can share their feelings with the world.

One of the many advantages of the system is its sheer simplicity. It only takes a few steps to become part of this community, and it’s absolutely free! Every profile allows users to completely personalize and add their own personal touch to their page. Two of the standard ‘blurbs’ -as they call it - are the “About Me” and the “Who I’d like to Meet.” Amidst making new friends, stalking celebrities, and writing their own blogs, users spend a lot of time on their personal profiles. The include details with regards to their interests such as television, music and books; hobbies and activities and often personal details like physical appearances and marital status. The website also allows users to upload a default image which appears all over the website in accordance with their name and to upload and host other photographs for their friends’ viewing pleasure.

Other than people who use MySpace for social networking, many a user utilize it as a vessel for self-promotion. This is best showcased by MySpace Music, where many up and coming musicians post their music, along with their profiles, and benefit from exposure and critiques which help them in the long run.

Another popular area of MySpace is the profiles many celebrities have. Whether they are linked to MySpace Music or to the main site, the celebrities use them to communicate with their fans and use the space to allow people to get to know them a little better, or for the more obvious publicity runs. Some of the famous personalities and bands on the website include the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Kevin Federline, Foo Fighters and the Pussycat Dolls – amongst other renowned icons. There’s also MySpace Videos that allows users to watch a number of interesting videos that are being shared by their friends or celebrities.

MySpace has also become a marketing tool for people in the business game everywhere. Since the website allows mass mails, postage of regular bulletins, and a large database of friends, it is a valuable resource to promote your product - whether it’s a website, a car dealership or a comic book.

The MySpace name has become so common in everyday usage that one wonders the date of its inception into the new edition of the Oxford Dictionary! A number of websites related to the original have popped up. From providing scripts and backgrounds to “pimp out” your space to ideas on marketing, these websites have ignited a global race amongst the website’s users.

MySpace has, in a short span of time, become what people call “a way of life.”

And in today’s day and age, it is often considered a faux pas if you are not part of the largest community on the internet - the MySpace Family.

Terry Bytheway
http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/what-is-myspace-74249.html

This paper investigates from an Islamic perspective the consequences of globalization in general. To specify my argument in accordance with my understanding of Islam, I would strive to argue that globalization might be very harmful before society reaches maturity but very useful after that. Allow me a brief prefatory note about my methodology in this essay: in the first part, I provide many specifics about how Islamic texts and sources view the human being as God’s creation and his ultimate goal in the world. In the second part, after a brief definition of globalization, I apply the analytic method employed in the conventional literature of economics to show why the market mechanism fails to satisfy equality and eradicate poverty in the globalization era. Finally, I try to explain how a free but virtuous, mature society can satisfy equality throughout the world in this era. Obviously, my argument relates, to some extent, to normative aspect of economics. However, it does not follow the ideological methodology at all.

Let me begin by elaborating briefly on the ultimate goal of man’s creation in Islam, since this is so essential to understanding my argument.

The Human Being as God’s Creation

From monotheism, the pivotal pillar of the Islamic worldview, we can conclude that the universe is the best and perfect manifestation of God’s beautiful names and that there is no better alternative system to govern the universe. Indeed, this principle refers to the conception of creation. That is, God is like a secret treasure, so He creates and expands the universe not only to give a clue to His throne but also to reveal His beauty and His brilliance. Some facets of His attributes such as His majesty may manifest themselves in a deterministic environment such as with galaxies and other physical phenomena. There are, however, other facets of His characteristics such as His wisdom and His mercifulness that are impossible to manifest themselves except in indeterministic form.

There seem to be many common elements in the explanation of the philosophy of man’s creation in all Abrahamic religions of which Islam is believed to be a sequel and culmination. By investigating the quality of Adam’s creation, which stands as the symbol of human being in the Quran, we can infer the kind of status he occupies in the sight of God in Islam, as well as in other religions.

In the beginning the Lord addresses all the angels[1]that He wants to create a viceroy[2] on earth. This position will be held by man. The angels object to Him and say that He wants to create a vengeful and vindictive creature to commit crime and bloodshed on earth again! But God responds that He knows something they do not know. And so, God became engaged in creating man. And this is the point which symbols, loaded with profound anthropological connotations, come into being.

From a faithful Muslim point of view, God is the greatest and most exalted. Thus, with this providential address the mission of man on earth is clarified. That is, man’s mission on earth is to fulfill God’s creative work in the universe. Therefore, man’s first superiority is that he represents God on earth.

Since God wants to create a viceroy for Himself on earth, He must, as a rule, choose the most valuable and sacred material. Yet He selects the basest matter. In the Quran there are three references relative to the material that man was made of: from sounding clay[3], like unto pottery[4], and from mud[5]. Finally, the Lord blew His spirit into the dry mud and man came into being.

In the human tongue, God is the most sacred and exalted being so the spirit of God refers to the most exalted, and the noblest manifestation of His being, while mud stands as a symbol of the meanest and the basest thing. Accordingly, He blew His own Soul, not something else like His breath, blood, or flesh, into man in its creating process. God is the most sublime being and His spirit is the finest entity for which man can possibly have an epithet in his language.

Thus, man who was formed from mud and God’s spirit is a two- dimensional being. For unlike all other beings which are one dimensional, man is two-dimensional; one dimension tends towards mud, lowliness, sedimentation, and stagnation while the other aspires to the loftiest imaginable point possible. Thus man’s significance and grandeur lie in the fact that he possesses two poles: mud and the spirit of the Lord. It is up to man to choose where to go, towards mud or providence. And as long as he has not selected either of the poles as his fate, struggle will perpetually rage within him.

Another surprising point in man’s creation in the Quran is that God calls upon the whole universe that He has a trust to offer it, but everything refuses to accept this offer except man[6]. This is indicative of the fact that man possesses another virtue; that is, his acceptance of a trust that everyone else refused. This means that man is a representative of God in the universe as well as His trustee. As to what the trust is, Islamic scholars mention many things. Some of them such as Mawlavi and Shariati[7], believe that it is will and choice. I agree with that, however, it means much more than that. It means that man has adopted a great responsibility to personify all His beautiful names; individually and collectively. Of course, such responsibility requires the ability of will and choice.

Shariati (1981) says that the only superiority that man has over all other beings in the universe is his will. He is the only being that can act contrary to his nature, while no animal or plant is capable of doing so. It is impossible to find an animal which can fast for two days. And no plant has ever committed suicide due to grief or has done a great service. Man is the only one who rebels against his physical, spiritual, and material needs, and turns his back against goodness and virtue. Further, he is free to behave irrationally, to be bad or good, and to be mud-like or divine. The point is that possession of will is the greatest characteristic of man and it throws light upon the relationship between man and God.

Man is a viceroy of God on earth as well as His trustee among the universe, and the spirit of both quenches their thirst from the same fountain of virtue: possession of will. God, the only being in the universe, who possesses an absolute will and can do whatever He wishes, blew His spirit in man. Hence, man is capable of working like God (not on par with Him, only as an image of God), or acting against the physiological laws of his own nature. Therefore, as in the Old Testament[8], He has created mankind as a potentially perfect image of Himself. Obviously, this perfect image goes beyond the interpretation that some distinguished scholars have given it[9]. It shows that all God’s beautiful names may manifest themselves with man and human society. Consequently, it requires the ability to mastery and rule over the universe.

Two kinds of rationality

As mentioned above, according to my Islamic understanding, man is a two-dimensional being. During his spiritual evolution, he should pass from being mud-like to approaching God-like. In other words, God has invited him to pass through an important reference point, maturity[10]. Thus, we can imagine that he has two distinct parts of his life: an individualistic, selfish period (before maturity of society, when the real love is not the dominant flow in the society); and a God-like, selfless period (after maturity of society). Clearly, each specific period requires a certain and separate corresponding rationality. The rationality[11] discussed in the conventional literature of economics, which is based on a low-level self-interest, only corresponds with the period of childhood. Mainstream economics, based on Adam Smith’s invisible hand and the market mechanism, quenches its thirst from this fountain of rationality. In the next part, I will explain how the market mechanism increases the gap between poor and rich countries as well as the gap between poor and rich classes. That is, the more international trade and the more integration of financial markets, the more market failure and more divergent economies! However, when society evolves from selfishness and being mud-like to altruism and being God-like, this rationality will not be effective at all and will collapse instantaneously. The alternative and mature rationality creates a special dynamism for the economy which is very powerful and without any failures. The driving force of this rationality is still self-interest, but a high-level one rooted in being God-like.

I would like to refer to one verse of the Quran, which clearly argues that the individual desires derived from a low-level self-interest lead to harm and corruption[12]: “Corruption doth appear on land and sea because of which men’s hands have done, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return.” We may deduce this corruption is only a part of the consequences of what man has done as a result of his selfishness, and that there might many other bad consequences washed clean by God’s forgiveness. In other words, the invisible hand in an immature society not only is not able to optimize social benefits, but also it creates a great deal of harm and corruption that surpasses our imaginations. However, most of this corruption will be removed by the mechanism provided in the universe by God. The remaining corruption serves to warn the people and deter them from being selfish.

Due to self-interest maximization in immature society, we may also observe clearly many, many problems such as global warming and environmental destruction which will definitely jeopardize future life, while the market mechanism and its price signals fail to reduce these consequences, much less to motivate sustainable development.

Globalization and the issue of equality

In this part of my essay, I would like to show why globalization in the context of low-level self-interest motivation and based on the market mechanism may not lead to equality. Instead, it is biased to developed countries where there is located a complex of various industries and the benefit of economies of agglomeration can be utilized. To do this, it is necessary to have a brief definition of globalization first.

The definition of globalization

As globalization is a multi-layer concept and it has become a buzzword in recent years, globalization has already been defined in many ways. I, in some extend, agree with what Thomas L. Friedman defines globalization. He says: “it is the inexorable integration of market, nation-states and technologies to a degree never witnessed before- in a way that it is enabling individuals, corporations, and nation states to reach around the world farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before, and in a way that it is enabling the world to reach into individuals, corporations, and nation states farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before” (Friedman 2000, 9). He says: globalization “also has one overarching feature- integration. The world has become an increasingly interwoven place, and today, whether you are a company or a country, your threats and opportunities increasingly derive from who you are connected to. This globalization system is also characterized by a single word: the Web”(ibid, 8). This system is a dynamic ongoing process, with a driving idea of free-market capitalism, and “its own dominant culture” involving “the spread of Americanization” (ibid, 9). It has its own defining technologies, and is measured by its speed, “speed of commerce, travel, communication and innovation” (ibid, 10). He suggests that “globalization is not simply a trend or a fad but is, rather, an international system. It is the system that has now replaced the old Cold War system, and, like that Cold War system, globalization has its own rules and logic that today directly or indirectly influence the politics, environment, geopolitics and economics of virtually every country in the world” (ibid, IX).

What I want to focus on is strictly the economic layer of globalization. In my view, economic globalization refers to a completely different process of internationalization. Although in internationalization the cross-border relations between countries will increase, the nation-state institution will play the main role in the economies, they can still make economic policies and decisions. Economic globalization, however, refers to the process of removing government-imposed restrictions on movements between countries in order to create an “open”, “borderless” world economy’ (Scholte 2000: 16) so that the nation-state institution will be eradicated and no longer play no role in economy. Instead, the Transnational Companies (TNCs) will be the main players in the economy. More technically speaking, the nation’s Production Possibility Frontier (PPF) makes nonsense in the literature and there is only the worlds PPF and TNCs follow fragmentization policy in their production and distribution which is definitely alien from conventional international trade and international finance.

The Inevitability of Asymmetry in Globalization

According to mainstream economics, policies of openness through liberalization of trade and investment regimes, and capital movements have been advocated worldwide for their growth and welfare enhancing effects on the basis of the propositions embedded in the well-known economic theories of international trade and investment (i.e. the Ricardian comparative advantage theory, the Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson (HOS) model, the new trade theories of Krugman, or the model of intertemporal international borrowing/lending or portfolio allocation models). In these models, the main goal of openness is assumed to increase social welfare through: (i) static efficiency gains associated with improved resource allocation for national economies as well as for the world economy due to increased specialization; (ii) dynamic efficiency gains from such factors as economies of scale, diffusion of information, technology transfers, knowledge spillover effects as well as intertemporal trade gains from cross-border borrowing/lending for increased investment and consumption smoothing and portfolio risk diversification.

Convergence in accordance with international trade theories is still a serious dilemma. That is, there is no doubt that the level of social surplus will increase totally after free trade or integration of financial markets. However, there is a lasting concern regarding how these gains are distributed between trade partners; are they biased toward developed countries or at least unbiased. Mainstream economics’ theories including static and dynamic insist that international trade will reduce the per capita income gap amongst the open countries. For instance, one of the main theorems that derived from the static model of HOS Theory, implies that when the prices of the output goods are equalized between countries as they move to free trade, then the rewards of the factors (capital and labor for instance) will also be equalized between countries. Therefore we should expect that the increase of free trade due to globalization will reduce the North-South per capita income gap. The dynamic version of this model also suggests a convergent per-capita income trend between north and south countries.

To explain cross-country differences in economic performance, Matsuyama (1996) employs symmetry-breaking methodology. Symmetry-breaking creates asymmetric outcomes in the symmetric environment. It is the key concept for understanding self-organized (a.k.a. endogenous) pattern formations[13].

As a key answer to the increasing gap between North and South countries in the level of cross-country differences as well as the increasing gap between poor and rich classes inside the countries, Matsuyama (2005), rejects coordination failures as the key notion to understand these questions. Instead, he argues that such emphasis is misplaced; the key to understanding the diversity is symmetry-breaking. The notion of coordination failures is not only irrelevant but also misleading when thinking about diversity.

Quoting Matsuyama’s (1996) explanation briefly, it will be shown how globalization can be considered as an endogenous (or a self-organized) factor to create the inequalities.

He offers a model of the world economy, where many (inherently) identical countries trade with one another. It is shown that cross-country differences in the standard of living and in income appear as a stable outcome of international trade. According to his model, the coexistence of rich and poor countries is not just a possibility. It is an inevitable aspect of the world trading system. Although his model adopts many assumptions for the sake of simplification and concreteness, the logic behind the result is fairly general and can be understood intuitively.

Imagine that there is a list of goods that need to be consumed. Furthermore, there are some agglomeration economies in the production of each of these goods. In the absence of international trade, these goods must all be produced in each country. Without any innate difference across countries, each country produces these goods in the same amount, and there is no cross-country difference.

Now introduce the possibility of international trade in these goods. As different countries start acquiring comparative advantage in different goods, the production of each good concentrates into some countries, which leads to an emergence of a system of international division of labor. The stable cross-country difference appears as a result of ‘‘symmetry-breaking’’ in the world economy, caused by international trade. Some countries become rich if they are lucky enough to acquire comparative advantage in goods associated with large agglomeration economies, while other countries, those which happen to acquire comparative advantage in goods with small agglomeration economies, become poor. They fail to achieve a necessary coordination to reach a Pareto-superior equilibrium and find themselves in a Pareto-inferior equilibrium. The problems thus seem just a matter of coordination failures. The global perspective, however, offers a different view. The international division of labor requires different countries to take charge of producing different tradable goods with differing degrees of agglomeration economies. International trade thus creates a kind of ‘‘pecking order’’ among nations. Not all countries can be rich: some countries must be excluded from being rich, just as in a game of musical chairs[14]. At the same time, the model does not rule out the possibility that some (but not all) countries might succeed in overcoming the coordination failures, and becoming rich. This feature of the model makes it possible to talk about the effects of such an ‘‘economic miracle’’ in the world economy.

Since the economies of agglomeration requires the diversity of industries which produce intermediates available in the marketplace, we can conclude that only those countries which have already bypassed the threshold of diversity have a chance to be industrialized and reach to a Pareto-superior equilibrium. Hence, this shows how the phenomena of economies of agglomeration cause a symmetry-breaking to separate the otherwise identical regions into the manufacturing belt and the agricultural hinterland.

Globalization in Mature Society

To explain how globalization in mature society accomplishes beneficial goals, first we have to take into account the two following challenges:

1. The problem of static market failure: This problem arises mainly because of externalities (including public goods, pollution and common pool resources), transaction cost, asymmetric information (such as incomplete markets[15], moral hazards and adverse selection), as well as organization failures. The most common response to a market failure in the literature of the public sector is to use the government to produce certain goods and services. However, government intervention may cause non-market failure. Besides, as mentioned above, globalization causes nation-state eradication so there will be no effective government in such an era. Furthermore, I can hardly believe that international institutions are able to fulfill this responsibility, even if they were independent from the USA.

2. The problem of dynamic market failure: As Matsuyama showed accurately, international trade creates a specific chaos in the symmetric environment so that the operations of markets normally lead to increasing inequality across the countries over time. Likewise, inequality across inherently identical households is caused endogenously by symmetry-breaking. Matsuyama (2004) explains how the class structure is an inevitable feature of capitalism. Even if every household starts with the same amount of wealth, the society will experience “symmetry-breaking,” and will be polarized into the two classes in steady state, where the rich maintain a high level of wealth partly due to the presence of the poor, who have no choice but to work for the rich at a wage rate strictly lower than the “fair” value of labor. Hence, in the capitalistic context we may consider these increasing gaps –whether between countries or inside countries – as an indication of market failure in a dynamic version.

It is now necessary to show how mature society, using a different rationality, may bypass these challenges. This rationality formally is very similar to the conventional one. It is, however, very different in content. I would like to refer to a few verses of Quran related to this subject. God says: “Man has been created restless, so he panics whenever any evil touches him, and withdraws when some good touches him; except for the prayerful who are constant at their prayers and whose wealth comprises an acknowledged responsibility towards the beggar and the destitute; and the ones who accept the Day for Repayment.” These verses show sufficiently that the rationality that guides immature people is definitely different than that which guides mature people, although they benefit from the same potential characteristics. The main distinction between mature and immature is that the mature direct these potentials toward a transcendental personality which is beyond selfishness. They are concerned with all human beings’ needs in all generations rather than their own selves individually or at most their families.

It is very appropriate to ask about the driving motivation in this society. Of course, conventional self-interest cannot motivate people efficiently to be concerned about others. It is extremely in need of a stronger motivation based on an exalted worldview. This worldview should consist of specific beliefs that grant the greatest reward to the doer when he considers all people of all generations altruistically. As I understand, the mature society may not be blind and aimless. Society can achieve this reference point of maturity only when the true beliefs such as the belief in oneness of God, the Day of Judgment, Justice drive it entirely. Passing this reference point is a necessary condition, but divine love, which requires perfection in selflessness, is the sufficient condition for the maturity. In general speaking, love when it appears, has no room but for itself and the lover thinks of no one except the beloved. In other words, selfishness destroys love and it can never be considered as co-existent of love. Nonetheless, worldly love is too weak and ineffective to last and motivate society toward its transcendental goals. In contrast, divine love is quite sustainable and powerful. Since nature is the realms where God’s beautiful names are exhibited, divine love implies, in turn, love of the entire world and the whole creation particularly human beings, the most comprehensive fruit of existence. Therefore, love is at the core of the concept of mature rationality and creates a specific invisible hand to satisfy social benefits including prosperity and equality for all regions and all generations.

Now, allow me to explain how globalization might be useful in a mature world society. As mentioned above, a mature society is a society where all God’s beautiful names have flourished. Therefore, as God provides mercifully all necessary requirements for all creatures, in such a society, each person possesses a certain portion of natural resources consistent with his area of interest. All initial endowments are redistributed by lump sum among the people so technically speaking, all individuals move to the central points of Edgeworth’s box. All members subject to all generations’ benefits do their best to produce more and more creatively because they are His representatives. According to symmetry-breaking methodology, there is still some potential of asymmetry. However, people will share their incomes voluntarily to produce public goods and to reduce the existent gap.

The communist system is as far away as the capitalistic system from the system based on love. The lack of motivation in people’s activities as well as the inefficiency of government –especially when the size of society grows enough- are the essential issues in communism while there is no concern about them in mature society. It is because the people are mature enough to understand that more being active means being closer to God. Besides, there is no need for the presence of strong and big government because this society is governed by many small components of authority connected together in a world wide network. There is hardly conflict of interest between these components because selfishness is the main source of confliction while here the people are selfless. Moreover, they are tolerant and educated enough to avoid violence and to discuss their problems peacefully.

It should be noticed that the economy in mature society serves only as a means by which we can improve the level of virtue so that we are not allowed to sacrifice humanity and its dignity and virtue because of economic benefits.

Endnotes

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[1] Quran, 2:30: And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.

[2] It shows very clearly the worth of man in Islam. Even the Post-Renaissance European humanism has not been able to bestow such an exalting sanctity upon man.

[3] Quran, 15:26, 15:28, and 15:33

[4] Quran, 55:14

[5] Quran, 6:2, 7:12, 23:12, 32:7, 37:11, 38:71, 38:76

[6] Quran, 33:72 Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it.

[7] See: Sahriati (1981)

[8] Old Testament, 1:27-28 Elohim said, “Let us make humanity as our image, according to our likeness. And let them rule over the fish of the sea, the bird of the heavens, the beast, the whole earth, and all the swarmers which swarm on the earth. And God created humanity as his image: as the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.

[9] Thomas Aquinas (1976) located the image in the human ability to think and reason, to use language and art, far surpassing the abilities of any animals. Leonard Verduin (1976) says that the image consists in our dominion over animals and plants, which continues despite our sinfulness. Emil Brunner (1976) says that it is our ability to have a relationship with God, reflected in the tendency of all societies to have forms of worship.

[10] Quran, 90:10-17 And [Did We not] guide him to the parting of the mountain ways? But he hath not attempted the Ascent. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! (It is) to free a slave, And to feed in the day of hunger, an orphan near of kin, or some poor wretch in misery, and to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity.

[11] I will discuss the other kind of rationality which corresponds with mature period later on.

[12] Quran, 30:41

[13] For example, cosmologists wonder why the matter in the universe is distributed in clusters, leaving much of the universe empty. Earth scientists study the formation of wave patterns, such as jet streams, ocean currents, and continental drifts. Material scientists study phase transitions, how molecules aligned themselves when they reach the critical temperature. Molecular biologists ask how life began in the primordial soup of amino acids, and developmental biologists attempt to explain how living organisms acquire forms through cell division and morphogenesis (Weyl 1969, Prigogine 1980). Similar questions of pattern formations also exist in economics. Why are there rich and poor countries? Why are industries clustered? Why are there booms and recessions? Why are some ethnic groups underrepresented in certain jobs or neighborhoods?

[14] Musical chairs is a game played by a group of people (usually children), often in an informal setting purely for entertainment such as a birthday party. The game starts with any number of players and a number of chairs one fewer than the number of players; the chairs are arranged in a circle (or other closed figure) facing outward, with the people standing in a circle just outside of that. A non-playing individual plays recorded music or a musical instrument. While the music is playing, the players in the circle walk in unison around the chairs. When the music controller suddenly shuts off the music, everyone must race to sit down in one of the chairs. The player who is left without a chair is eliminated from the game, and one chair is also removed to ensure that there will always be one fewer chair than there are players. The music resumes and the cycle repeats until there is only one player left in the game, who is the winner.

[15] The theory of incomplete markets is an extension of the general equilibrium approach to intertemporal economies with uncertainty, where the set of available contracts which can be used to transfer wealth across time is limited relative to the possible probabilistic states that an economy might find itself in. Unlike in the standard Arrow-Debreu model where all trade takes place at beginning of time, in an economy with incomplete markets, agents trade in sequential spot markets.

References

The Noble Quran.

Aquinas, T. (1976), Man to the Image of God, in Millard Erickson (ed.), Man’s Need and God’s Gift: Readings in Christian Theology, Grand Rapids: Baker, pp. 37-43.

Emil, B. (1976), Man and Creation,” in Millard Erickson (ed.), Man’s Need and God’s Gift: Readings in Christian Theology, Grand Rapids: Baker, pp. 45-54.

Friedman, T. L. (2000), The Lexus and the Olive Tree, New York: Anchor Books.

Krugman, P. (1992),Geography and Trade (Gaston Eyskens Lectures), The MIT Press

Matsuyama, K. (1996), Why Are There Rich and Poor Countries?: Symmetry-Breaking in the World Economy, NBER Working Paper Series

Matsuyama, K. (2005), Structural Change, forthcoming in L. Blume and S. Durlauf, eds., the New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, 2nd Edition, Macmillan (available at: http://www.faculty.econ.northwestern.edu/faculty/matsuyama/Structural%20Change.pdf )

Prigogine, I. (1980), From Being to Becoming: Time and Complexity in the Physical Sciences, Freeman, 1980.

Scholte, J. A. (2000) Globalization. A critical introduction, London: Palgrave.

Shariati, A. (1981), Man and Islam, Translator: Fatollah Marjani, Houston: Free Islamic Literature-Filinc.

Verduin, L. (1976), A Dominion-Haver, in Millard Erickson (ed.), Man’s Need and God’s Gift: Readings in Christian Theology, Grand Rapids: Baker, pp. 55-74.

Weyl, H. (1969), Symmetry, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Nasser Elahi
http://www.articlesbase.com/ethics-articles/globalization-an-islamic-perspective-293758.html

The treatments for anxiety and associated disorders are nearly as varied as the range of people who can be helped by them. For this article we will acknowledge there exists many cases in which one or more prescription medications may be deemed necessary by the overseeing doctor to control anxiety and other mental disorders, often to achieve enough of a stabilizing of the moods and emotions to begin other more interactive therapies. Do not, if you are under a doctor’s care, adjust your medication in any way on your own. Increasing, or abruptly stopping prescription medication is very dangerous, and not to be attempted without medical guidance.

Leaving the prescription drugs for a medical doctor to explain, let’s examine the many whole health approaches available to enhance your healing, and enable your body, mind and emotions to recuperate from the tension they have been surviving under.

Journaling is not a new idea, but certainly one worthy of mention in this discussion. The discipline itself, of taking even one moment every day to capture a thought is in itself a form of therapy, especially to an individual who has not felt able to accomplish anything for perhaps quite some time. Be it one word, one line or a page, write something down each day to describe that day’s emotions. It may take about 3 weeks to become really comfortable doing this, but you will begin to see more detailed writing, and a better outlook as time passes.

Seeing a professional counselor could be a vital step in the recovery process. This is not a medical doctor, but a therapist. Someone who will listen to your concerns and place no judgment on you. Someone who recognizes the difficulty you have had, and how badly you want to reclaim your life.

Group therapy is also a terrific option, and may be used in combination with private counseling, or in some cases in place of it. There will be a moderator with the group, and they are typically `first name anonymous’, so everyone can feel comfortable expressing themselves. If more than one problem is presenting itself, such as alcohol abuse along with chronic anxiety, there may need to be more than one type of meeting attended regularly to achieve the best results.

Exercise, especially that which gets you out of the house, is an excellent way to help your recovery along. Walk with a friend, or bring a walkman with upbeat music, or tapes that are applicable to your recovery.

As you regain an adequate level of trust and safety in your life, it may be a great time to give some energy to helping those in need. Yes, you, who have been so helpless and hopeless, may now be ready to assist someone else in their need. Read books to children in the hospital or give an afternoon to assembling food boxes at an outreach.

Ask your local animal shelter what you can do for them. A quick search on the computer, or a phone call to an organization that interests you will produce many opportunities for you to choose from. This `service therapy’ encompasses so many beneficial aspects: You will be getting out of the house, meeting new people, and relearning your personal value. It is so gratifying, and will cause quantum leaps in your recovery.

Take up, or revisit a hobby, something you really enjoy, and again, if it is outside, all the better. Kite flying can be a very inexpensive way to have some fun, get some exercise, and quite literally spend some time `looking up’!

Make your home your sanctuary, bring in color, music, candles, and light. If watching the news triggers anxiety, leave it off for this healing season in your life. Eat well, and get the rest you need. Be kind to yourself, it took a long time to become as anxious and possibly depressed as you were, and now it will take some time to fully recover, but it will happen, and with all that you have learned through your healing process, you can look forward to never again feeling that depth of terror and sadness again.

M. Jedediah
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/treatments-for-anxiety-and-related-disorders-139877.html

• How do I find the best preschool for my child?

• Are there any tips for picking a preschool?

• What is the best preschool in the area?

You are a concerned parent. Your decision to select the best preschool for your child’s unique needs is a difficult one. Should you check online? … With a friend? … With community educators? The answer is all! All of your resources are valid checkpoints to help find the best environment for your child.

In fact, as someone who has worked with young children since 1994, I too receive many inquiries regarding Preschool selection. My name is Cullen, and I’m a proud and passionate preschool teacher. I fell in love with preschoolers when I first started working as a Day Care instructor and soon I transitioned to preschool, teaching three and four year olds. Over the years, I have even been a preschool director. But my true love and passion is teaching preschoolers and that is what I concentrate on now.

This article, based on my experience, offers guidelines, suggestions, insights and a simple grading system to help you select the best preschool for your child. Read through these tips, and give your child (and you) a great first experience with school!

Here’s what we will discuss:

• The People Priority: Teachers

• Be Cautious: The Lure of Preschool Popularity

• Be Open to All Programs

• Be Comfortable with Staff, Facility, Location

• Selection Process

• The First Visit: Roles and Expectations

• Tour Questions and Comments

• Grade Your “Feelings” About the Teacher

• Grade Your “Feelings” about the Staff and Facility

• Questions to Ask During the Tour

• Observations After The Tour

• Grading After the Tour

• Using the Grading System to Select your Favorite Preschools

• The Second Visit Assessment

• Many Thanks!

• Preschool Grading Form

The People Priority: Teachers

In life, business, and education “people” are the key to happiness and success. When selecting a preschool for your child, make the “people” factor your most important consideration. The most important influencers on your child’s development in preschool are the teachers. For this single reason, teachers should be your primary consideration in selecting a preschool. The teacher is the one who will be spending the most time with your child and helping him or her develop socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

Be careful not to make secondary factors – popularity, type of program, staff, facility, location – your primary objective.

Be Cautious: The Lure of Preschool Popularity

Popularity is a strong factor for many parents in selecting a preschool. Many areas have preschools that are considered the “best” and have long waiting lists. Please remember, you are looking for the best preschool for your individual child. Always keep your search focused on what is best for your child. Who knows, this mindset may even lead you to a different preschool than one your other children attended. Please do not allow popularity to cloud your feelings for what is best for your individual child.

Be Open to All Programs

Many times, parents make the type of preschool program their primary consideration, when it should actually be secondary. Many people have a preconceived ideas about the type of preschool program they want for their children, only touring facilities with specific types of programs. (Common preschool programs include: Developmental, Academic, Play-based, and Montessori.) If you are fixed on a specific program, you are limiting your opportunities to find the best teacher for your child. If you accept that you are looking for the perfect teacher, rather than a preschool program, you will create more opportunities to find that teacher.

Be Comfortable with Staff, Facility, Location

You should also feel comfortable with support staff (teacher aides and administration). Teacher aides are crucial because they have significant interaction with your child.

It is also important to be happy with the actual preschool facility and the classroom environment. The classroom space must be large enough, used effectively, and be well maintained. If you notice or sense any safety or security issues with the preschool you should remove it from your list immediately.

Location is another factor that parents often use as their primary consideration. This will also limit your opportunities to find the best teacher. Of course location is an important factor, but just don’t make it the prime factor

How to Find Preschools

• Learn from “word of mouth”

• Search the Internet

• Read local parenting newspapers

• Contact a local Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group

• Check the yellow pages

Tip: Google Maps now have a “Find business” option. Go to maps.google.com and type in your city name and the word “preschool” for business … a listing of all the preschools in your city will appear!

Selection Process

Preschools set up tour appointments during the school year. (Open registration can start as early as the January before the next Fall term.) Some preschools have waiting lists, so it’s never too early to start touring. Call at least five preschools and set appointments for tours. Make sure your selected preschools include a mix of programs (Developmental, Academic, Play-based, and Montessori.)

Most preschools also have open houses. They are a convenient way to visit preschools and talk with the teachers to get an idea if they would be a good fit for your child. Please do not rely only on open house visits to make your preschool selection. Touring the preschool and seeing the teacher in action with the children is the best way to develop a feeling if they would be a good fit for your child

The First Visit: Roles and Expectations

During the first visit, you should observe all aspects of the preschool, including the teacher(s), staff, program, and facility. Use my Preschool Grading Form (found at the end of this article) to help you compare preschools.

The majority of your interaction will be with the person giving you the tour; most likely a secretary, the preschool director, or the principal. This person will give you the tour, describe the preschool program, and answer any questions you may have. Expect to be taken on a tour of the classrooms, the play area, and other points of interest of the preschool.

While you will most likely get a chance to meet the teacher, do not expect the teacher to discuss any questions in any depth. The teacher’s role is to engage with the children in the class. If the teacher turns out to be one of your favorites, you can ask to contact the teacher (live meeting, by phone, or email) and request another visit during “free play time” to closely observe the teacher.

If you can, visit the first group of preschools without your child. You can then take your child to your favorites when you visit them a second time. If you do bring your child, hold his or her hand and watch his or her reactions when observing a classroom. Only allow your child to interact if invited by the teacher.

A Simple Grading System

Visiting a list of preschools can be overwhelming. It’s often difficult to remember what you liked. So, use a simple and consistent grading system to help you determine your favorites.

I recommend an easy A, B, C, D, and F grading system:

A = Very Good Feeling

B = Good Feeling

C = Ok Feeling

D = Bad Feeling

F = Very Bad Feeling

Tour Questions and Comments

Below is a list of helpful questions to use when touring a preschool. Following the questions are comments to give you some insight and knowledge on why you should ask these particular questions. You can download the free two page “Preschool Grading Form,” formatted so you can easily print it out and take it with you when you tour a preschool for the first time at www.cullensabcs.com.

Before the tour begins, be proactive and ask these important questions to the person giving you the tour. You are about to enter preschool land, and things can get funny, wild, and crazy fast. So ask these questions at the beginning, before leaving the preschool office. The answers will allow you to make better observations once the tour starts.

What is your role at the preschool?

Ask the person giving the tour what his/her role is at the school: secretary, director, or principal? It is always good to know the role of the person giving you the tour before the tour begins. The director should have the most knowledge and understanding of the preschool program, but at many preschools the secretary may be a good resource too.

What are the teachers’ names, and in what order are we going to see them?

Write the teachers’ names down on your Preschool Grading Form in the “Grade Your Feelings About the Teacher” section. Now you will be prepared to easily record your first impression of each teacher.

How long has each of the teachers been teaching at this preschool?

If all the teachers have only been at the preschool a short period of time, it may indicate some issues with the program. If they have been there for some time, it indicates they are valued by those who run the program. If a teacher has been there a very long time, make sure that he or she still has the passion to teach preschoolers. Ideally, the teachers should be happy and love working with preschoolers.

How long have they been teaching 3 or 4 year olds?

It is completely different teaching 3’s versus 4’s, so make sure the teacher teaching your child’s age group has experience with that age.

What is considered a “qualified teacher” in your program?

What are the academic qualifications? Are teachers certified in first aide and CPR? How many Early Childhood Education units (12 is the minimum required to teach at a preschool)? Have they been fingerprinted?

How are the teachers instructed to greet me on this tour?

Some preschools may not allow the teacher to greet you. It is nice to know this, so you do not think the teacher is being rude. What the teacher is doing when you visit may determine the type of greeting you get. At a minimum, you should get acknowledgement and a nice smile.

Are the teachers allowed to talk to me during the tour?

Some programs allow teachers to chat with you quickly, while others do not. A teacher should not spend a lot of time with you; their priority should be with the children.

What is my role during the tour?

Are you allowed to ask the teacher a quick question?

If your child is with you: What is my child’s role during the tour?

Is your child allowed to interact with the teacher or class?

What is the teacher-to-student ratio?

Anything over 1 teacher to 12 students is too high. During the tour, check to see if the teachers are within their stated teacher-to-student ratio.

Grade Your “Feelings” About the Teacher

Make sure your tour guide gives you enough time to observe each teacher in order to grade him or her on the following questions. Remember, these questions are designed to help you develop an overall feeling about the teacher and the preschool to determine the best choice for your child. Make sure you do not feel that you are being rushed though the tour.

• Immediately when you step into the classroom, does it have a warm, inviting, and positive feeling? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

• Does the teacher have a warm, positive, loving, and inviting feeling? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

• Is the teacher’s classroom organized and clean? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

You may come in when the children are playing and the room is messy at a time. This is ok because the children are engaged in activities and each other. Try to envision the classroom with everything in it place. Is it a well thought out organized environment?

• Is the teacher’s classroom environment chaotic or calm? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

• Look at the children’s faces: Are they engaged and happy, rather than bored, tense, or unhappy? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

• Does the classroom have many things for the children to choose from to interact and play with? (Grade A, B, C, D or F) Things to look for: Art Center, Block Play, Books, Dramatic Play, Games, Manipulatives, Mathematics, Music, Puzzles, Environmental Box, and Science. These areas help to enhance your child’s developmental experience in preschool.

• Did you observe “free play?” (Yes or No) Play in preschool has been called "free play" to emphasize that children’s role-play is partly free from the teachers’ planning and involvement.

• If you did observe free play was it child-directed play or teacher-directed play? (Child or Teacher) Child-directed play is when the child gets to choose what they play with, and teacher-directed play is when the teacher chooses what the child does.

• Were there opportunities for discipline? (Yes or No)

• If there were opportunities for discipline, how did the teacher handle it? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

Grade Your “Feelings” about the Staff and Facility

When meeting the preschool staff, such as the teacher’s aide, school secretary, preschool director, or school principal, are they friendly, smiling, happy people that love working at the preschool? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

Children are very sensitive to their environment, so you want their classroom (teacher-influenced) and preschool (staff-influenced) environment be a warm, loving, and positive one. This question generates feelings on the preschool environment.

Examine the outside play equipment and the classroom furniture. Is it safe and is there plenty of space? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

Questions to Ask During the Tour

These questions are designed to generate your feelings about the preschool. The answers are not intended to be graded, because there is no right answer. You can ask these questions while on the tour, and at the end before you leave.

What is the one very best thing about your preschool?

Try to ask this to as many people as possible. Most likely answers will vary, but look for a common thread.

What is the daily schedule for the classroom and how does it benefit learning?

An example schedule: Circle Time, Art with Inside and Outside Play, Clean Up, Bathroom Break, Snack, Books or Puzzles, Clean Up, Outside Play, Sharing, Small Group Time, Prepare to Go Home, Line Up, Sing Goodbye Song. One day each week has a visit to the library or includes physical education.

Will my child receive a snack at preschool?

Most preschools provide snack. Are they prepared by the employees or by your child? Some places are family style where the children sit together and work on their manners, pouring their own juice, and taking turns in conversation. Some preschools have snack prepared, and children come and eat as they please.

How is discipline handled in the classroom?

The best answer should be a list of different steps depending on the situation. Not one solution such as a Time Out or Redirecting is a quality or complete answer.

What type of preschool program are you?

Do not let them just give you a brochure to read, ask them to describe the program in their own words.

Is the preschool program faith-based?

This may or may not be an important question for you, but if it is, make sure you find out what they focus on to instill faith in your child’s daily life.

What is the role of the teacher’s aide?

The aide’s role is to assist the teacher with preparing the classroom for the day ahead and to assist with children throughout their time together.

What is the mission statement of the preschool?

Try to ask this to as many people (secretary, director, principal, and teacher) as possible. Once again do not let them just give you a brochure with the mission statement. Ask each one of them to describe the mission statement to you in their own words. If all answers are consistent it will tell you if there is strong communication within the preschool program.

How are parents incorporated into the classroom and the preschool program?

Most programs extend invitations to parents to help in the classroom with specific activities. Also, parent clubs, school boards, and fund raising activities are common ways for parents to get involved with the preschool.

Are there specific activities for parents to meet other parents?

You may desire opportunities to meet other parents or not.

What is your program’s curriculum?

The curriculum is the subjects taught in schools, or the elements taught in a particular subject. This question will give you insight into the priorities of the preschool program. It may be more focused on social development compared to academic development. Remember, the most important factor to your child’s development in any area is the teacher.

What percent of your preschool program is focused on social versus academic development?

Many people have preconceived ideas about social or emotional vs. academic development, but the teacher leading your child’s development is the most important factor.

Do you have a process of testing or screening children going from preschool to kindergarten?

This is good information for you to know up front. Many parents are surprised to find out testing or screening is done on children going from preschool to kindergarten.

During the school year can I communicate with my child’s teacher via email?

The answer to this question tells you a few things. First, when you are dropping off or picking up your child at preschool, it is not a good time for the teacher to answer your important questions. Email is a fast and effective way for you to send a question; this allows the teacher to digest it and reply back or set up a time to talk. Second, if teachers are using email, it is a good sign since they are probably utilizing the great wealth of information on the Internet to get ideas for their classroom and enhance their teaching skills.

How are teachers evaluated and how often?

This question may stump them. We all get graded in someway, so it is only fair to understand how the preschool teachers are graded.

Observations After The Tour

Did anyone encourage you to visit other programs, and instruct you to ask anything specific about other programs? (Yes or No)

The questions they tell you to ask other preschools are an indication of what they feel are the strengths of their preschool.

How do you feel about the tour guide’s knowledge of the teachers and understanding of the program?

If they rushed you through the classroom, or if they did not answer your questions completely, they just may not have complete knowledge of the preschool program. If the person giving the preschool tour does not have a good understanding of the preschool, it is likely that every one at the preschool may not be on the same page. In addition, if they have problems communicating verbally, there may be problems with communication in general.

Grading After the Tour

How do you feel the teachers at the preschool fit with your child? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

This is the most important question.

Do you feel this preschool program is the best environment for your child and you? (Grade A, B, C, D or F)

Note: If you sense a safety or security issue with the preschool you should remove that preschool from your list immediately.

Using the Grading System to Select your Favorite Preschools

If you ask the suggested questions and grade the questions you will most likely quickly develop a feeling for your favorite preschools. In case you do not, review your grades to help you determine your favorite preschools. Remember this grading system is just a guide to help you determine your top preschools to visit a second time. There are intentionally more questions about the teachers because the teachers are the most important factor in your decision. Once you have visited numerous types of preschool programs you will develop a feeling for which preschools, regardless of program type, have the best teacher(s) for your child. These are the preschools you should visit a second time.

You can download the free two page “Preschool Grading Form,” formatted so you can easily print it out and take it with you when you tour a preschool for the first time at www.cullensabcs.com.

The Second Visit Assessment

After completing all your initial tours, visit your favorite preschools a second time. During the second visit, your focus should be on the teacher(s), making sure they are a good fit for your child.

Try to arrange the second visit during “free play time.” Free play is a great time to observe teachers, because you can see the teacher’s skills at work and many dynamics of the class During this second visit, you should be able to make an assessment regarding the teacher in less than 20 minutes. Once you have made all your second visits, you will most likely be ready to make a decision.

If you feel you need additional visits, feel free to schedule them. In the end, you must trust your instincts regarding which teacher is best for your child. Remember that teachers are the key to a positive and successful preschool experience for your child.

Many Thanks!

Thank you for caring so much about the education and development of your child. I hope you will find this article helpful when selecting the best preschool for your child. By following my tips and using the questions, grading system, and its related print-out form, you will make the best decision for your child…I am sure of it!

If you enjoyed this article, I encourage you to also log on to visit Cullen’s abc’s (www.cullensabcs.com) to find free and easy, creative, ideas that stimulate children’s development at home. The ideas are presented in short videos on YouTube, so they are easy to follow and understand. There are a wide array of videos on topics such as books to read, book reviews, art projects, and activities. You’ll find many creative ideas that can be prepared and done inexpensively around home. You can even subscribe to Cullen’s abc’s Idea Update, a free daily email!

Cullen Wood
http://www.articlesbase.com/tutoring-articles/how-to-select-the-best-preschool-for-your-child-inside-tips-from-a-preschool-teacher-100082.html

There are loads of ways to manage your iPod tracks. The totally best way is using the Smart Playlists. I have chosen 5 ways to utilise the Smart Playlist.

Smart PlayList tip#1

My Limited Top Tracks

This can be done through iTunes icon in the Dock or system tray while you are listening to a track. If you limit your tracks to just 10 or even 40 and selected by most often played then you will always have a cool track playing. So click on “match the following rules”, then in the boxes from left to right: My Rating, is, 5 stars.

Smart PlayList tip#2

When did I listen to that?

If you own a large drive iPod some tracks can easily get forgotten and lost. Each track within your collection is tagged by how many plays that it has had. So you can set up a playlist to listen to the tracks that you have listened to once, or even never. So click on “match the following rules”, then in the boxes from left to right: Play Count, is in this range, 0 to 1.

Smart PlayList tip#3

Podcasts and Audio Books

Apart from tunes, the Smart List can bring together most things iPod related. If you have other files like Podcasts they can creep into your music playlists. So you can create a playlist specifically for them (storing it away in a subfolder of iTunes Source pane). You can use “playlist” “is not” Spoken word filter to stop speech getting into other playlists. So click on “match the following rules”, then in the boxes from left to right: genre, is, Podcast. Then in the boxes underneath from left to right: genre, is, AudioBook. Then in the line underneath. Podcast, is true.

Smart PlayList tip#4

Music Store Back-Up.

Keep your iTunes Music Store safe and sound by backing them up on CD. The best way of picking them out from your tracks is to make a Smart Playlist with the following rules: Click on “match the following rules”, then in the boxes from left to right: Kind, contains, Protected AAC.

Smart PlayList tip#5

Unwanted Tracks

You can easily get tracks that you don’t like or want within your playlists. So setting up a playlist dedicated soley to tracks that you don’t want to hear will also allow you to stop them appearing in future smart playlists. If you save this file as “don’t want” allows you to then select “playlist” “is not” “don’t want” on a future smart playlist. So click “match all of the following rules”, then in the boxes from left to right:

genre, contains, podcast.

genre, contains, holiday.

genre, contains, humour.

It is up to you what you want to exclude.

D.J.Hough
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/save-masses-of-time-with-your-ipod-tracks-88256.html