Something better than the Blue card

[Eagledad]

>>MBC->Scout's discretion communication->Committee Member->Registrar-> etc.>I think by and large folks teach others the way they have been taught. So if we teach adults checklists, they'll teach the kids checklists. Our example speaks more loudly than our words. I don't think yeh can get adults to help kids reach the goal of higher proficiency unless we as adults use behaviors and practices associated with higher proficiency.

[Twocubdad]

MBC > Badge earned.

 

Yeah, sell that to our council registrar then let's talk.

 

You thing You think a picking up a blue card from the SM, having the MBC sign it and returning it the Adv. Chmn. is too bureaucratic? Look at what happens once the Scout turns it over! The AC gets the SM to sign the blue card -- again. He then enters the MB into ScoutNet and in our troop TroopMaster. He then prints a hard copy of the Advancement Report. Both the report and the blue card physically go to the council office where both are checked by the council registrar and date-stamped to verify they have been received by the council. Both pieces of the blue card (the MBC kept his third) and a copy of the report are given back who then purchases the actual merit badge. The AC files the report and the troop's third of the blue care -- apparently in perpetuity. He puts the Scout's part of the blue card and the actual badge in an envelope in puts that in the awards box at the Scout House. Next troop meeting, before the closing, the SPL gets all awards from the box and presents them to the Scouts.

 

WHEW!

 

And as it turns out, when there is a descrepancy between ScoutNet and a Scout's Eagle app (such as I am dealing with currently), the registrar can't just call and ask. We have to be able to produce STAMPED blue cards or (preferably and) advancement reports. What prevents us from submitting brand new, unstamped blue cards and saying "he just earned it" I don't know. I'm guessing it has to do with allocating blame -- the most important step in any bureaucratic process.

 

So no, I'm not too distraught about asking the Scout to be responsible for getting a blue card, asking the MBC to sign it and returning it to the AC. And being in the middle of a fire fight over this B.S. I ABSOLUTELY recommend all my Scouts to get that notebook and keep up with all your blue cards. No it's not required, I won't "make" you do it, but I would sure rather work over a safety net. The notebook will make a great keepsake one day and may keep you from repeating a couple merit badges.

 

Anyone wanting to streamline this system HAVE AT IT. But I suppose it would be fairly typical of BSA to jump in and "fix" the blue cards -- the one part of this system which works.

[Beavah]

Yah, TwoCubDad, I reckon that's my point, eh?

 

Da whole thing is too bureaucratic, and as you and I both mentioned, most of da steps are adult steps. Each step causes errors/losses, and we all know that da majority of the "lost" records are adult/ScoutNet failures. So I'd just do away with it. It costs an enormous amount of time for everybody, and doesn't really help the boys a lick.

 

Hey, we can dream, eh?

 

B

 

 

 

 

 

[Beavah]

The friends agree they want to help, but they do have a busy life and would like to know up front what they are supposed to do to help the scout earn the badge? You say.....?

 

Yeh got time for lunch this week? We'll get together and give yeh a short overview and trainin' of da process. Besides, it's been a while and I wanted to get together and catch up anyways!

 

Pretty much think of it as "mentor for a month", where yeh get together a few times durin' the month and share the important aspects of your field and some of da particulars of your hobby, and then the lad does some work on his own to build up his own skills and understandin'. That's the fun part, because he's really interested in what yeh do, and might want to pursue it more himself, so you're givin' him his first taste and start down the road. Lots of ways for it to be flexible and fit into your schedule and his, eh? In the end we do want yeh to certify that he's able to do or explain all the basics on his own, so there is a "test" of sorts - more like a series of tasks that we want yeh to make sure he's able to do by the time he's done. But beyond that, we really think that your knowledge of the field and his interest should guide yeh, and you're free to be creative.

 

I'll be able to chat along the way as yeh have questions, concerns, or if yeh want to bounce some ideas off. I'll give yeh some contacts for a few other experienced MBCs that yeh can talk with as well. Yeh might actually know one of 'em, George, because he goes to your church....

 

-----

 

Yep, do 'em all the time.

 

I think da key to a good first-time MBC is that yeh need to provide mentoring for the adult, with some support not just available in several ways but also present. I'll occasionally come out for da first and last meeting, or send another experienced MBC, just to make sure things start on da right foot and that expectations for completion are clear.

 

B

 

[Eagledad]

Interesting, beav, you go and train the counselor to be a mentor. Ok, we don't really do that except with counselors who work with a lot of our scouts. As I said, the boys find many counselors that are out of the city and state. Personally I think just handing the counselor the book and letting him review it works pretty well. We will have to agree to disagree.

 

As for the question of improving the blue card system, you should get the white sheets our council uses. It cuts out the One of the adults in the process.

 

Barry

[Beavah]

As for the question of improving the blue card system, you should get the white sheets our council uses.

 

Wait a minute... We're on page 5 of blue cards, and now yeh say your council doesn't use 'em??? That they have somethin' better?

 

What were we talkin' about again?

 

As for da rest, doesn't your council expect MBC's to have training? I think it's sorta like the military, eh? Train like yeh fight, fight like yeh train. If we want MBCs to be good mentors, then that's how we have to train 'em. If we want 'em to be check-the-box folks, then we just give 'em da requirements and tell 'em to check the box.

 

Beavah