Eagledad

>>The Winter Solstice is the "shortest" day of the year and ushers in the season of Winter.

>>A joyous solstice greeting to all Scouts and Scouters

All of your ideas are really good ones and I know your program will grow from them. I have a bit of experience in this area and I will throw a few observations that we learned over the years. The big weekend and little weekend is a really good approach. We had the attitude that everything can and should be fun. I wasnt one of these, sometimes leadership isnt fun kind of people. In that, we found that repeated JLT isnt fun for scouts. I am presently doing my annual Contracting Officers Representative training at work, and after four years, I hate it because it is the same thing over again. Anyway, what you have to focus on is the intention of all your trainings. Dont do JLT just because it is part of Boy Scouting. It has to be purposeful. We eventually developed one big weekend a year and a little weekend after every election. All scouts whom of at least First Class rank had to take the course if they wanted to be a Patrol Leader or above. It was a series of leadership skills and team building classes. We started by doing a full outdoor weekend course but eventually developed into an 18 hour in door overnight course. We found that scouts learn more and faster indoors because the atmosphere was different from the campouts and they felt more adult. Cant explain why, but it works. I did the same thing at our JLTC and we saw the same results there as well. Our Big Weekend was usually planned six weeks a head by a JASM and three other older scouts. The SM has some training sessions, but the older scouts do most of the weekend training. The little weekend JLT was about three hours long and led by both the SPL and SM. The first hour was a quick review of all the leadership positions (scouts and adults) and Aims and Methods. The second hour was a review of the SPLs goals for the next six months. Each scout and his adviser spent the last hour setting goals for their position and getting some training for the position itself. Some positions like Patrol Leaders and Quartermasters may have had additional training during the next week. After the three hours was over, the PLC had a lock-in, which we found was a great bonding experience. Its also important to understand that JLT sessions like we are talking about dont teach scouts that much leadership. Most JLT comes from the scouts watching the other scout youth leaders in action. You will usually find the troops with the best leaders are the ones where the young scouts are always around the older scouts. The more they are separated, the worse the skills because the young scouts dont get to observe the older scouts. The very simple reason is boys learn by watching, not listening, which is what they do at JLTs. I also observed that scouts learn most of their leadership skills by age 13. Yes, they will learn more as they grow, but most leadership habits they will use in the troop until 18 were learned by age 13. That is one reason why new Scoutmasters who take over troops and want to make dramatic changes struggle with scout 14 and older. Anyway, you should consider JLT starts the day the new scout arrives. After the first six months, a scout should have some responsibility in the patrol. Not much, but enough that he has to communicate with other patrol members and enough that he has some expectations. Like Cheer Master, he should give a report at each patrol corners on the next skit they will perform on the next campout. He is expected to find, lead, and participate in that skit. That simple task teaches communication, planning, completion of task and confidence of being an important member of the group. JLT courses like the big weekend and little weekend should be viewed as filling in the spaces of leadership development where the program is failing. In other words, if the troop doesnt do well with communication, then that should be a JLT subject during the weekend course or even added to a PLC meeting. At the same time, the Scoutmaster should be working with the SPL to improve that problem in the program. As far as Im concerned, the Scoutmaster should be working toward a Troop that does not need weekend JLTs because his program is working perfectly. Dont worry folks, no program is perfect and there are always leadership skills that need to be worked on, but if you take this approach, then you arent providing a JLT course for the sake of just something the do. Weekend JLT courses need to be filling need. I really like the idea of involving other troops too. We do this and it really works well. Not just for the participants but we ask the other troops to provide staff to train with us for six weeks. Those guys really enjoy that whole experience. Well that is long, sorry. But I commend you guys, your thinking out of the box and giving great ideas. Watch out, others will notice your success and want to learn more. I love this scouting stuff. Barry

>>The floor of a Army Reserve Center sleeps just fine after 12 hours on the road and it has a/c and hot showers.

You can do what we did a few years ago. We started doing short hikes into all our campsites (anywhere from a quarter mile to a mile). The PLC required the scouts carry everything in except food and tents. Our heavy car camping gear started getting replaced with lighter gear and the scouts got use to the idea of packing and using the backpacks. The gear we use on all our high adventure treks like Philmont and Northern Tier is the same gear the Patrols use each month on Troop campouts. Hiking from that point isnt such a scary thing then. I do agree that scouts can backpack as soon as they join the troop. We adjusted the distances on backpacking campouts to the maturity of the scouts. New scouts usually can go three to five miles depending on the terrain. But even a mile is a lot of fun and builds a lot of confidence. We keep a few old packs around to loan to scouts who cant afford one yet. But I encouraged new scouts to look at getting a backpack as soon as they can. Not so much for backpacking, but for teaching him how to become self-reliant on living from only what he can pack. Packs also take up a lot less space in cars. Barry

>>The parts of the training that got their attention and prompted the most discussion was the "Start - Stop - Continue" assessment of how the Troop was doing and asking them "What do you need?". We got a lot of good ideas on how to improve the program from these sessions and a list of new equipment and items to bring up to the committee.

>>Will this work? We will see. As for now, the boys are really looking forward to this, and they are taking responsibility to plan it.

This is good information, thanks for the report. Barry

Hi all Our troop guides also stay with the Patrols for all the presentations for the same reasons as you stated Eamonn. I also am asking that our troop guides try to explain the point of each presentation on one sentence. Im trying to get them to study the context of the subject while they practice the presentation so they understand its purpose within the context of other presentations. I wasn't really thinking about the media so much as visual aids. One example our course director gave is the Communication presentation with two small plastic toy scouts or figurines, don't know where he got them. But he set the toy scouts facing each other, then he stacks a toy block or Lego blocks between the toy scouts as he talks about those things that hinder or black good communication. Then as the he listed good habits of communication, he remove the blocks eventually leaving no blocks between the toy scouts, which represent no blocks to good communication. That is an example of the types of props I'm talking about. Now, I'm more of a storyteller in my presentations. I don't like to read the text strait from the book, but some are very good at it. I like to give verbal examples that help explain the intent of the subject. Props and reading text are just not my style. But it works for some folks, so a a couple of our Troop Guides were asking for other ideas. I am open to all presentation ideas if it will help a TG feel more confident. What Im trying to do is get the TGs to find a style the fits with their personality. My hope is that it will help the present the material with more confidence. Keep it coming and thanks. Have a great week. Barry

>>The whole idea, which is not original with us, is to get them working as a unit and learn some basics without the pressure of the experienced boys critiquing their every move.

HI All I am the ASM for Troop Guides on our Spring course SR733. One of request by our TGs is some example of using props for TG presentations. I was not one that used props, so I dont have a lot to offer. However, I told them I knew of a great resource. So, if you can send a presentation that you gave, heard or have that used props in the Wood Badge Troop Guide presentations, I will be eternally thankful. Thanks all. Have a great scouting weekend. Barry Hey, did I see some new Bob Whites on the list?

>>I am wondering how having boy scouts in a Boy Scout Troop being in a Venture Patrol (part of a boy scout troop)would have any bearing on the Venturing Crew numbers of a District or Council, but that may be besides the point.

>>Any comment? It begs the question of how they handle a prospective merit badge counselor who is not registered with a troop.

>>"Hi, I am Proud Eagle. I have a problem with always saying, 'yes'."

I guess I saw this subject differently. I felt in the words of the writter, and still feel, there is a general attitude against helping others unless they got something from it. If I'm wrong, great, but if I could desribe the twelve points of the law in one word, it would be serving. Of course not all scouts are going to help at all projects, but none? Barry

>>If there are no volunteers in place, it's no wonder the Program Preview was a little lacking in program. "Council" has nothing at all to do with that.

>>Boy led troop or not, you need discipline from the adult leaders, otherwise the boy leaders are not only the first line, but also the final line. It won't work. If the SM is not a disciplinarian, fine. Not everybody is. No reason one ASM (we had one nicknamed "Mad Dog") can't be the disciplinarian.

>>...unless of course there is an intrinsic difference in the posession and use of toys vs something that smells strangely of education, knots and work...

>>Is our program BSA perfect HECK no! But we try. Are we delivering the scouting program...I think so, but some of the members of this forum might not. But as long as we continue to help "grow" good young men, and a stronger local scouting program, I am happy; (satisfied? no, but that's human nature), gotta go...is that the sound of the BSA Police knocking down the front door???

>>IMHO, the root of this problem is the poor way this troop implements the patrol method.

>>An Eagle project isn't a Troop project. There is no requirement for the Troop to help out.

>>I'd recommend both the SM and the committee read the Troop Committee Guidebook.

>>The most difficult thing for us right now seems to be getting the Scouts to organize their PLC and have regular meetings and program plans.

I think a positive sign of a boy run troop is that changes are slow. But change is also visibly constant. See, what makes adults so different from boys and also makes the program so valuable is personal experience. YOu have it, they don't. Boys changes are slower because they have to first learn how to create, plan, and practice the process of actions that make change. Its a no-brainer for us because we adults have been there and done that so much that we just do it. As you get more experience in this job, you will find that developing the habits required to create, plan and institute a change are far greater accomplishments than the change itself. So change has to be slow enough that the scouts can see their mistakes or accomplishments and grow from them. These skills are the foundations to future of good planning and managing. As they grow, change will speed up and eventually go faster than adults can keep up. Couple hints are dont ever except their attempts at change as perfect and finale. To continue to grow, the scouts have to continue to reach up. I remember once when our troop had got to the point that they could break camp, load the trailer and get in formation ready to leave in 45 minutes. All without adults in the area. At that point we knew we had to change something to keep them challenged. Dont make each step appear so hard that they feel frustrated even before they start. Learn how to make any task or goal seem possible, fun and worth attempting. Also, you are their cheerleader always giving them a positive view, but you are also honest and consistent and have a way of showing them where they stand. You are never negative in your evaluations because every action is lesson to improve the next action. For you, failure is a good thing. Never fear it, grow from it. You will be amazed at what boys are willing to try when they know you except failure a positive growth. We adults as parents, teachers and coaches have taught our kids to fear falure to the point they fear even trying. Trying is the hardest step and you will know it when you get them beyound that place. Your example of the paper plates tells me you know what you are doing and will be a great SM. I look forward to your future post. I love this scouting stuff. Barry

>>Lets not get hung up with what we miss about the good old days when we were in Wood Badge or other trainings which no are no longer being presented. The program has changed, and it will change again.