It is the close involvement of parents, teachers, peers, and the community that helps steer and protect children, on MySpace or anywhere.
We all lose when responsible adults shy away from a medium like MySpace to avoid the risk of being unfairly grouped with the small minority of adults who engage in inappropriate activity.
As parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors, we must develop strong relationships with the children we work with.
MySpace, like most things, has the potential to be used for good or bad.
Should we leave it only to teens and twenty-somethings and the people who may want to prey upon them? No.
The question is not why are some teachers and parents on MySpace. The question is: why aren't more teachers and parents on MySpace. It is an under-chaperoned environment.I love...teaching my hella cool students at Grant hs--my Alma mater; reading; hiking; writing; loving my wife, son and daughter; climbing trees, swimming in mountain lakes and rivers, tuxedoes and the occasions that occasion them; camping; cooking; mycology (that's mushrooms); ancient Greek history; poetry, both reading and writing; good wine; sailing; wilderness survival; mythology; arty flicks; NPR; being "near" the internet; cutting my own Christmas tree; lattes; lemon meringue pie; thanksgiving; embracing nerdom; ultra light backpacking; bocce, croquet, or any sport played with a tasty beverage in hand; photography; tracking; my GPS; physics; bicycling; trig; snow camping; gathering wild morels in the spring and cooking them up yum; loving the hell out of life; and dancing around the rim of the crater as if unwatched!
This I believe:
I believe in the inherent value of all human beings.
I believe in working to overcome millennia of racism and sexism through a constant questioning or our history, actions, and language.
I believe peace is preferable to violence.
I believe in America, perhaps not as historically presented, or as it now presents itself to the world community, but rather I believe in the promise of America to grow more equal, more just.
I believe that we must slow the concentration of wealth.
I believe that money is not protected free-speech and that real campaign finance reform is critical to save our democracy from the entanglements of big money.
I believe in paying workers a living wage.
I believe in slowing corporations down at the borders and letting people pass freely to seek work and new life.
I believe in education, both as a tool of self improvement and as a duty of citizenship.
I believe in freedom of, and freedom from, religion. I believe school teachers, perhaps like politicians,
do have a greater responsibility toward moral and ethical public behavior.
I believe in family, friends, and in the kindness of strangers.
I believe in my students.
Music
I'm learning: The Decemberists, The Shins, big loud russian classical, big band jazz, bosa nova, Paul Simon, Rufus Wainwright, Pink Martini, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Epoxies, The Beatles, Sleater-Kinney, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jimmi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Nirvana, Jefferson Airplane, Arlo Guthrie, The Steve Miller Band **Yes Travers--The Steve Miller Band (You see folks my dear friend Travers once broke up with a pretty girl after seeing The Steve Miller Band on her Ipod--talk about confused priorities)**Iron and Wine, Otis Redding, Devendra Banhart, Bruce Springsteen, Traci Chapman, The Bare Naked Ladies, honestly i'm totally ignorant of all pop culture--maybe ya'll can help!
Movies
Dead Poet's Society, Triplets of Bellville, Harold and Maud, Casa Blanka, farris bueller's day off, last of the mohicans, legends of the fall, Benny and Joon, When Harry met Sally, The Princess Bride, Rushmore, Garden State, Little Miss Sunshine, O Brother Where Art Thou? Shawshank Redemption, Henry V, On Golden Pond, Master and Commander, Coen brother movies and similiar ilk
Television
As little as possible...but I might secretly admit to liking West Wing, Deadwood, Rome, Lost, and The Wire. But West Wing is off the air, and I don't get cable so that leaves netflicks...I heart netflicks!
Books
mystery of the moon illusion, The Periplus Maris Erythraei, cold mountain, anything by jeffery lent, the bible, the jefferson bible,Their eye's were watching god, i know why the caged bird sings, the journals of lewis and clark, the known world, galileo's daughter, longitude, why christanity must change or die, edible wild plants of the pacific northwest...random nerdy crap like that
Heroes
Justin Stoddard; Eric Dixon; Tina Edwards; Josh Haley; Bill Romano; Clark Veylupek; Carson Hendrickson; Karyn Ellis; Linda Christensen; JFK; FDR; my brother, Aaron; My quaker-pacificist father; bell hooks; bertrand russel; steven jay gould; MLK; howard zinn; noam chompski; eric sten; howard dean; Barak Obama; my mom; steven hawking; and my freshman honors English teacher, gene jenkins--who died in 2004--which was also my first year teaching honors freshman English at the same school
Sapho wrote this in 600 BC on the island of Lesbos in ancient Greece. It was found on strips of papryus that the Egyptians had recycled to wrap around a mummy. It was then painted over--as mummys often were--but a creative use of NASA's multi-spectral imaging enables scientists to read through the paint. It is one of the most complete of her poems that we have.
Some say an army of horsemen, or infantry,
A fleet of ships is the fairest thing
On the face of the black earth, but I say
It's what one loves.
This is very easily understandable to do
For each of us. She who far surpassed
The beauty of all, Helen, just went and left
Her noble husband
Sailing she went far away to Troy,
And thought nothing of child or parents dear,
Nothing at all, but ...................led her off,
............ing.
.........................bent.......
............................and lightly.........
...reminds me of Anactoria who is not here
Whose lovely way of walking, and the dark flash
Of her face I would rather see ---- than
War-chariots of Lydians and spear-men struggling
On a dusty battlefield.
Justin Stoddard; Eric Dixon; Tina Edwards; Josh Haley; Amy Scroth; Rob & Jen Coury; Bill Romano; Clark Veylupek; Carson Hendrickson; Karyn Ellis; Linda Christensen; JFK; FDR; my brother, Aaron; My quaker-pacificist father; bell hooks; bertrand russel; steven jay gould; MLK; howard zinn; noam chompski; eric sten; howard dean; Barak Obama; my mom; steven hawking; and my freshman honors English teacher, gene jenkins--who died in 2004--which was also my first year teaching honors freshman English at the same school
Love
Have you ever been in love?
Many, many times. My wife thinks too many.
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Not really
Do you want to get married?
I am. I love it!
Do you want children?
I have two perfect children
Are you a virgin?
To skydiving, I've never been skydiving. But I will.
Do you currently like someone?
Yes. My wife.
What do you look for in someone of the opposite sex?
A big brain, strong opinions, kindness, enjoys discussing ideas, not afraid to call me on my bull
When's the last time you went on a date?
Like a month or two (see we've got two small children)
Where would your idea of a perfect date take place?
hmm, a cafe in southern Europe near the sea
Who's the last person you kissed?
wife, kids
What's your favorite thing to do with someone of the opposite sex?
snowshoeing
Have you ever broken someone's heart?
alas...
Do you prefer hook ups or relationships?
relationships
Random
Do you drink?
in moderation
Where would you most like to visit?
Greece, Italy
Do people take you for granted?
Maybe a few students, but mostly no
When's the last time you cried?
I don't know, not very often, boys supress that ability in our society. Perhaps to great detriment.
What's your weakness?
Dessert
Have you ever sat on your roof top?
yes, for sunsets or fireworks
Have you ever kissed someone in the rain?
I love kissing in the rain! Once I kissed a nice girl in an unimaginable downpour in Kansas with the power out and branches falling off trees.
What's your biggest fear?
Spiders, death of my loved ones
Have you ever ran away?
ran or run? anyway, only to the Army
Do you ever smile for no reason?
all the time
Have you ever been skinny dipping?
Lots when I was younger in countless rivers and mountain lakes and even once at Grant Pool when I was 17! We were chased out by the police.
(circa 660 bc)
A poet and mercenery who wrote this:
Some Saian mountaineer
Struts today with my shield.
I threw it down by a bush and ran
When the fighting got hot.
Life seemed somehow more precious.
It was a beautiful shield.
I know where I can buy another
Exactly like it, just as round.
Blue
Today my son swam for the first time unheld,
a splash in blue water,
untethered, grinning.
When he was born he wouldn't breathe,
umbilicaled to the womb's water.
They had me cut the cord.
Still the wet-blued boy refused air.
When he did finally breathe,
the blue retreated to veins and eyes,
to all the water he would swim.
And today he swam for the first time,
a splash in blue water,
untethered, grinning.
I tried to teach him to hold his breath
so he could dive back into the blue,
into connecting veins of rivers,
under eye-blue lakes,
re-tether to the womb
and come back
wet and blue-lipped and shivering.
by Dylan Leeman
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, OR
Graduated: N/A
Degree: Professional
Major: Oregon Writing Project
Clubs: Oregon Writing Project Summer Institute 2006 & 2008, Through the graduate school of education
2006 to Present
University Of Portland
Portland, OR
Graduated: 2004
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Master's Degree
Major: Master of Arts in Teaching
Clubs: Oregon Quality Assurance in Teaching Scholarship, Student Teaching: Hosford MS, Grant HS
2003 to 2004
Portland State University
Portland, OR
Graduated: 2002
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: English: Lit of Slavery & Early America, African American Lit
Minor: History: Ancient Greco-Roman History & Literature
Clubs: University Studies Mentor, Magna Cum Lauda, Oregon Laurel Scholar, Department of Exellence in Teaching, Teaching & Learning with Technology
1997 to 2002
Portland Community College
Portland, OR
Graduated: 1997
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Associate's Degree
Major: English
Minor: Anthropology, History
Clubs: Editor: The Bridge Newspaper, Editor: Alchemy & Mercury Literary Magazines, Administrator: EML Writing Lab, Writing Tutor
1994 to 1997
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: None
Major: Political Science
1994 to 1994
Grant High School
Portland, OR
Graduated: 1991
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Major: English, History
Clubs: Environmental Club, Speech & Debate, Yearbook Editor, Constitution Team, Science Olympics, Human Relations Committee, Literary Magazine, Now I teach @ Grant
About me: Commiehippieliberalpeacefag, my screen name, was originally an insult. It is not a statement of sexuality. Nor does it intend to use painful words lightly—as our society often does. Rather, it is what my lieutenant called me while I was in the Army. (They never knew what to do with my rampant Portland liberalism, my political support for gays in the military, my sensitivity, my gay mom.) I'm sorry if it offends you. It used to offend me too. Sensitive boys are often teased brutally in our society. Through this page, I hope to reclaim the name. As my friend Linda Christensen says, "to say the name is to begin the story." Let the story begin… Oh, that's not my wheel chair--I was resting from pushing a student on a field trip to SF.
I used to be a hippie but I got old and old hippies aren't cool, so I bought a sport coat and went to grad school. Now I teach. Basically I love life, learning, and teaching. How about you?
I am trying to teach myself celestial navigation to use the sextant my wife got me for Christmas, I even got a really thick book, but my calculus is really crappy and I don’t live near a horizon, so mostly the sextant collects dust and the stars continue to spin unmeasured.
This is one of my most favorite comments. In it, Rachael asked that it never leave this page, so it won't. I'm not sure that's what she meant, but oh well.
11/10/2005 4:18:00 PM
Leeman: I LOVE the assignment, the "I should be allowed too... one. Yeah, now I am officially allowed in cars with guys I am "romantically" involved with. I just felt like that was important for you to know... I am uber excited! And it's all because you assigned a paper. I LOVE HOMEWORK! That is to NEVER leave this page, ever. --Rachael
commiehippieliberalpeacefag's Friend Space (Top 6)
Twirling round with this familiar parable. Spinning, weaving round each new experience. Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing.
This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality. Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.
Watching the Fox interview right now and it seems they represented you pretty well. Certainly better than the way I expected from Fox! Yay. Whew. Go Mr. Leeman!!!
I can't think of a more thoughtful, graceful writer and teacher to speak with FOX about having a MySpace page. Thanks for alerting me! Things are going well in Philly/NY. I hope they're good for you, too! Cheers, Evan
i read your blog, im going to post a reply, we are currently having a discussion over the first amendment in my international communications class and i have a very strong opinion. ill fill you in after my spanish class.
I can imagine it now: you were hoping for girl scout cookies, weren't you? T'is the season for thin mints and samoans!!! That's why you answered the door. I guess the secondary lesson to be learned is: always wear slippers in the house...
Hello Leeman. It's awesome to get a friend request from a teacher.
I just read a horridly long paper on interior design that was somehow a literary criticism of Edith Wharton.
The rain helped.
have a lovely weekend.
Thanks for the add Dylan, and Happy International Women's Day! I would ask what you've been up to, but it seems like you and Julie have your hands full! Mazel Tov!
Hey Leeman how have you been. I never see you this year it's sad. So I'm sure you've heard from Rachael and Jillian both that the dance team is doing very well this season. Fun stuff right? Well just wanted to see how you are. How are your kids?
leeman so when you are writing a 5 paragragh english essay and you are saying like " the boy was 12 years old" do you write it out lik Twelve or use the number (12) or does it matter cause i saw the rules hanging in your room and i forgot.
And sammi's mom was wondering is there is a source (book,online,etc) to find all the weird rules about writing cause she's getting mad that me and sam ask so much haha
Hey, it's your birthday tomorrow! um yea, i don't know my password for my grantonian email, could you send the newsletter to my regular email address, fourbasehomer@yahoo.com, that would be fantastic. See you tomorrow...are you bringing treats??? haha
Hey, it's your birthday tomorrow! um yea, i don't know my password for my grantonian email, could you send the newsletter to my regular email address, fourbasehomer@yahoo.com, that would be fantastic. See you tomorrow...are you bringing treats??? haha
