BeaverIII

It wasn't "better". It was different. Did it have value?Absolutely. I use some if not all of the 11 leadership skills every day. Is 21st Century Wood Badge "better"? Maybe, maybe not, but it is different. Does it have value? Absolutely. I use some if not all of the skills from 21C WB every day. Is it still Wood Badge? Yes it is. BeaverIII

I attended a Legacy Wood Badge course in 1995. Although I had been offered opportunities to serve on staff it seemed I always had to withdraw for some reason or another. In spring of 2003 I was a Troop Guide on the first 21st Century Wood Badge for our council. None of the staff had attended the course, several served on multiple staffs and one was a former course director. With that said I feel the course was a resounding success. Yes there was some talk of the old Wood Badge; however as one of the participants stated so very eloquently at our opening luncheon. We dont care about the old course; this is our course and our experience (I paraphrase). I have never forgotten that statement. Fast forward to 2008 and our council has had four 21st Century Wood Badge courses. I have been fortunate to serve on three of four and served as cook staff for the other (loads of fun, but another story!). Now I have been asked to direct our next course in spring of 2009 and I am facing the daunting task of assembling the best staff in the history of Wood Badge (smile). There are those in my council who are grandfathered into 21st Century Wood Badge eligibility and a lot of eligible 21C Wood Badgers that I can choose from. My task is clear; select the staffers who will do everything they can to insure this course and this experience belong to the participants. As to the grandfathered rule for staffers; it is what it is. We cant change it here. What we can do if asked to serve is our best, following the syllabus and letting the participants know through our words and actions this is their Wood Badge experience. BeaverIII

I agree with Forever Young by Rod Stewart. The Cubmaster in my son's pack used it a lot and when I hear it it takes me back to long ago days. BeaverIII

The old Scoutmastership Fundamentals. As a newly minted troop committee member in 1995 it let me see how the Boy Scout program works and I met some top notch Scouters (staff and participants)who I am still close to today. BeaverIII

Sue, Its very hard for me to compare as I served as TG in 2003, SPL in 2004, Culinary Corps (cook staff) in 2006 and SA-TGs in 2008. Thats a lot of time from one to the other. I made a conscious decision to NOT micro-manage. Best decision I ever made. There were some bumps along the way in staff development. We also use a briefing book and some of the TGs were depending on that for their presentations. Once I convinced them the message they needed to provide was in the syllabus and the books were only an aid, the light went off and each one performed wonderfully. As you know TGs can make or break a course for participants and these TGs stepped up and nailed it. All were first time staffers. At the closing banquet kudos and acclamations were flying for the TGs. If you feel you have to keep your hand in, watch what they do, but watch from afar. I asked another staffer to observe them in action. I let them know I was there for them if they needed me but I was not going to hover over them. They came to me when needed, we talked often about which participants were getting it and which needed assistance. I had a great time, learned a lot about them and about myself and would not trade this experience for the world. Show them the way and trust them to do their jobs. Odds are good that they will make you shine. With all of that said, I experienced some pangs of jealousy watching them, remembering the great time I had as a TG and the impact you get to make on the den/patrol. Again, good luck to you. BeaverIII By the way: they really appreciated it when I would meet with them as a team to go over what happened in the PLCs they did not attend or when the CD and SPL made a change to the schedule. They liked being kept in the loop. B3

Sue, Having just finished a course as SA-TGs the best advice I can give is: Develop Develop Develop Coach Coach Coach Trust Trust Trust Listen Listen Listen Good luck, W Hymel SA-TGs SR-912