Life Rank - EDGE method

[evry]

I just saw at meritbadge.org that they added a possible EDGE method training requirement.

 

Besides the 3 2nd Class and 3 1st Class EDGE possibilities, it now shows a 7th which is:

 

g. Three requirements from one of the Eagle-required merit badges, as approved by your unit leader.

 

Can anbody verify that that is official.

[ScoutNut]

The 2011 Boy Scout Requirements Book was released January 1, 2011, and should be in your local Scout Shops now.

 

Per the above book, requirement #6 for Life, has been changed to include one more option. Option #g states - "Three requirements from one of the Eagle-required merit badges, as approved by your unit leader.".

 

So, yes, it is "official".

[John-in-KC]

As usual, National has not caught up with the data on the webpage. Still a-f there.

 

Sigh.

 

Even so, I would trust usscouts.org far, far more than I would ever again trust meritbadge.org. I tell that to folks in the units I serve, too.

 

 

[NJCubScouter]

I just checked usscouts.org and it is there as well.

 

Can't they leave the requirements alone for one year? I understand that improvement is good, but every time they revise the requirements outside of a new edition of the handbook, they create communications issues with the troops. Does National think every Scout goes out and buys a new Requirements Book every year? I doubt that ANY of the Scouts in our troop even owns one; some adults do, but I don't think they get a new one every year. The one in our troop library is probably 10 years old. The boys rely on their handbooks -- usually the one that was purchased for them when they joined the troop, usually when they were 10 or 11 years old. This means that as of now, NONE (or maybe one) of the boys going for Life even own an edition of the handbook that has the EDGE requirement for Life at all, much less this new version of it. I have taken to passing out copies of pages from the new handbook to boys when they pass their Star BOR, which is probably a copyright violation, but it's the only practical way I see to make sure they know what the new requirement is and what they are supposed to do.

[Proud Eagle]

I think including teaching requirements in Star, Life, and Eagle is a good idea. Scouts at that level should be masters of Scouting skills and knowledge to the point of being able to pass on that knowledge.

 

However, I do have a few issues. First, is the EDGE method really the best method for teaching all things to all people? Who actuallly checks to make sure that EDGE is held to so long as the thing is taught?

 

Further, while it is great that we are asking our senior Scouts to teach the younger ones, is "teaching" the requirments for a Merit Badge reasonable for a youth? Youth are not allowed to sign off on Merit Badge requirements. Nor are most merit badge requirements of a nature that "teaching" it makes much sense. If a requirement says "do" or "show" or "explain" or "tell" those would require rather different levels of teaching. Any three random requirements doesn't make much sense.

 

I also second the issue of requirements changes without changes in the Handbook. Rank requirements should have some stability, and ideally the book a Scout starts with he should be able to finish with, barring major revisions requiring new editions (which happened while I was a Scout).

 

You can bet many troops will be slow to learn of this change and even slower to make it. You can safely say that plenty of Scouts will still be advancing on the 2010 requirements for years to come. I say that from much experience in the field. Many SMs seem to reason that if it was in the handbook when they started Scouting it is good enough.

 

p.s.

 

I think the EDGE teaching requirement for Second Class is a farce. I have yet to find a 2nd Class Scout that knows what the EDGE method even is, let alone how to properly use it. The point of T, 2nd, 1st is learning all the critical skills of Scouting. The EDGE method is not such a skill. In my opinion these requirements (in fact stronger version of them) would make much more sense as part of all three of the higher ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle.

[Venividi]

Teaching is a good thing, and there should be expectations that experienced scouts will teach less experienced scouts; older scouts will teach younger scouts, and not simply pull off by themselves. This is an expectation that Scoutmasters must expressly communicate, or it may not happen.

The concern that I have with making teaching a requirement is that it moves from something that is expected as part of troop membership to something that is done to meet a requirement, and once the requirement has been completed, it subtly communicates to the scouts that they have done what they need to do and there is no compelling reason to do any more.

[evmori]

EDGE is just a fancy acronym for the way we have been teaching for decades! I wonder how long this will stick around?

[Eagle92]

My thoughts.

 

1) Why can't older scouts teach MB skills? Teaching is a requirement for some MBs, FA MB requires you to teach the T-2-1 skills (and in my day teach FA Skill Award).

 

The summer camps I've been to used, as a youth, adult volunteer and staffer, used odler scouts to teach MB classes. Yes some staffers were not very good, but some were superb.

 

I also know that in my troop older scouts did "teach" some MB skills as parts of meetings and outings. Canoeing MB skills come best to my mind.

 

2) In my troop teaching the younger scouts was an expectation as "I came, I saw (but did you conquer )" has stated. His view that teaching may be viewed as a requirement and thus doen once and done, is a very VALID point. You do have Eagle Mills out there.

 

3) EDGE as others have mentioned is the altest greatest way of doing the old Show, Tell, Do (or is Tell, Show, Do. Age is getting to me) that humans have been using since time immemorial.

 

4) I think a 2nd Class with enough experience and confidence could pull off teaching stuff that he knows. Again back when FA MB was required for 1st Class, 2nd Class scouts had to teach FA Skill Award as one of the requirements.

 

5) IMHO I would be more concerned WHAT DID THE STUDENT LEARN AND HOW COMFORTABLE HE IS DOIGN THE SKILL ( caps for emphasis) than the method of teaching. Every good teacher knows that each student has their own best ways of learning, and that sometimes the teacher has to adapt to the learner's best way of learning.

[Venividi]

Yah, I dont think a troop needs to be an Eagle mill to perceive requirements as done once and that's sufficient. A of reference point that I see:

Very few scouts are proficient at the first aid skills represented in the T-2-1 first aid requirements, and this includes troops that would not be considered mills. I run a first aid scenario as part of camporees, and it is very obvious that the majority of the scouts have spent little if any time doing them after the requirement was signed off. And first aid is one of the most important skills that scouts should be good at when out in the field.

 

[Eagle92]

I agree 100% on that VeniVedi. FA skills are EXPECTED by the public in my expereince. I know I was a newly crossedover Scout who had to FA b/c the adults didn't know what to do, and expected me, a Scout to know what to do.

 

Luckily it was covered by READYMAN, and the church was less than a mile from the hospital.

[OldGreyEagle]

One would think that the requirements to be taught needs to be approved by the merit badge counselor of record as well as the unit leader, or am I reading this wrong?

[John-in-KC]

My two cents:

 

If the requirement in a MB is TEACH, I would tell the Scouts I counsel that I will directly observe their performance, or they may find another Counselor.

 

Learning to teach is full of mentoring moments.

[jhankins]

Teaching solidifies learning. If Star and Life scouts can go back and ensure their skills while teaching at the same time, they'll not only get the leadership experience but also prepare themselves for moving forward.

 

I asked the patrol leader I work with today to teach Totin' Chip skills (with supervision), and he jumped at the chance to get to share.

 

It's a win-win in my book.

[Eagle92]

Actually I like how my SM handled me teaching FA SA: he had the scout I taught demonstrate the skills.

[Proud Eagle]

How do you do these teaching requirements in a troop that is homogeneous with regards to age/rank/skill level?

 

I know of a local troop that has about half a dozen Scouts currently, all crossed over at once, and that is the sum total membership of the troop.

 

I know back when I was a Scout there was difficulty with one of the requirements that involved teaching another Scout, because everyone in the troop knew the skill involved.(This message has been edited by Proud Eagle)