Pomona teacher of the year speaks of the importance of listening to youth

More than 50 people including residents, non-profit representatives, educators, clergy and others turned out for Thursday's Partnership Building Summit at Pomona First Baptist Church.

The event, organized by members of the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan Community Board, offered an opportunity to review some of its work and gather ideas for the year ahead.

The summit also offered an opportunity to attract new participants interested in working to create an environment in Pomona where young people can flourish and reach their potential.

Offering the keynote address was Michael Steinman, Pomona Unified School District's teacher of the year.

Steinman is the teacher at Village Academy High School whose Advanced Placement English students created the "Is Anybody Listening?" video that President Barack Obama referred to in a March 2009 speech on education.

Steinman said that in his classes he works with his students to find the right words to get their thoughts or messages across.

Selecting the right word makes a difference such as when choosing between the words hearing and listening.

When people hear something they pay less attention to the sound or the message but when they are listening it "infers taking heed," Steinman said.

"It's my belief that we tend to modify our senses...to hear more than we listen," he said.

But when someone is listening "one can have a careful response after critical analysis," Steinman said.

When young people look around they see the malfeasance of leaders, they see greed around them and people who aren't listening.

That prompts young people - who are good at sensing dishonesty - to retreat, to become cynical and question why they should listen to such people and other adults, Steinman said.

Adults can do a better job of setting a positive example for young people, Steinman said.

Adults can become better and more patient listeners and listen to what young people have to say.

Listening is an important part of helping children develop into people who are compassionate, who reason and are "dedicated toward a worthwhile goal," Steinman said. "They need to be allowed to flourish."