Scoutmaster -merit badge

[porchdawg]

Can a Scoutmaster also be a merit badge counselor? There are a couple of merit badges I am involved with at the moment and now that I'm a new Scoutmaster, can I continue counseling or try and turn them over to another counselor. I've checked " A guide to merit badge counseling" and the Scoutmaster handbook. Having a hard time tracking down " Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures ". Any help would be appreciated; just don't want to mess up the work the boys are doing on their merit badges.

[evmori]

porchdawg,

You sure can! I am signed up to council 10 merit badges.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

 

[evmori]

porchdawg,

You sure can! I am signed up for 10 merit badges.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

 

[acco40]

Can? I don't know. Depends on their qualifications. May? Yes. There are no rules against it.

[eisely]

You can do both. You may not wish to do both after this group of scouts about whom you are concerned has completed the merit badges in question.

[Double Eagle]

Absolutely. Here is a great chance to show the process for earning a merit badge too. It really works on newer scouts that may not be confident in the process. It is only another way for the Scoutmaster to teach. Just a thought about how a Scoutmaster is not a "know-it-all", but a master of scouting skills.

[KA6BSA]

You should consider making sure you have good coverage in the troop for your boys to have access to Merit Badge counselors for the Eagle Required badges before you spend time establishing the many others. Of course don't turn down a volunteer qualified to counsel for something like Textiles, or Collections, because they are fun and you never know where that volunteer will lead to in the troop. Recruit counselors from the registered parents at Courts of Honor... everyone can counsel at least one merit badge, no matter what their knowledge is. If you can't cover all the essential Eagle Required's talk with other Scoutmasters in neighboring troop to exchange lists of counselors to get what you need, and see what you can offer them. Set the example for other adult troop leaders and troop committee members by doing substantial badges like the Citizenship series, Camping, or Emergency Preparedness yourself.

(This message has been edited by KA6BSA)

[Eamonn]

Oh Boy - Here is where I get my head shot off.

While there is no rule that states that you can't be the MC.

Why would you want to?

Your job as Scoutmaster is not to be a MC.

Your job is to train your Patrol Leaders.

The District is to have a list of MBC's.

We are serving our Scouts far better when we equip them with the life skills that going outside of the unit offers them.

There are a few MB's that maybe can be done in house - cooking, camping, and hiking. But unless you have some hard to find skill, I would do everything possible to follow the system.

Have them make the appiontment and work on the badge.

After all it is their badge and really has nothing to do with the troop.

Fire Away!!!

Eamonn

[kb9udf]

Sorry Eamonn, I'm not going to byte your head off. Although being a MC is a lot of extra work there are several that should be conducted by the Scoutmaster or assistant within the Troop. i.e. cooking, camping, hiking, backpacking to name a few. These require several outings and are done over many weeks or months.

 

Scott

 

[Adrianvs]

I see nothing wrong with Scoutmasters being merit badge counselors. In fact, I think it is a good idea for a scoutmaster to have some skill or study that he can teach to the scouts. But this doesn't have to be done within the merit badge system, of course. Besides, shouldn't a scout be taught some skill at least a while before he is expected to show meritorious performance at it?

[Bob White]

I am with Eamonn. Just because a SM can does not mean the SM should. You need to focus on your task at hand. Use this opportunity to get others involved in the program. Scoutmasters need to attend to training Junior Leaders and knowing the needs and characteristics of each Scout. Share the load with others.

 

Bob White

[acco40]

I'm a SM and a MBC counselor. However, I have not yet counseled any of the boys in the troop that I serve as SM. I've only counseled boys from other units. In their eyes, I'm not SM but a merit badge counselor. I highly encourage the boys in our unit to get counselors outside of the troop.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[KA6BSA]

Our Council has had rules limiting the number of "Eagle required" merit badges earned by a boy from counselors within his own troop. The limit was 5 badges, but that rule has recently been discontinued. It seemed to have the purpose of encouraging Scouts to take the initiative to go find counselors, rather than have them readily at hand at every troop meeting. I am not sure why the rule was dropped, but we still try to motivate the boys if they are interested in a badge to go seek out the counselor on their own, and have the satisfaction of learning how to work on the badges without having the "troop parents" handing the necessary resources to them on a silver platter. But we also take advantage of the troop's outings and campouts for boys to work on badges like camping, cooking, hiking or backpacking... since they are there doing the activity anyway. We also make sure the new Scouts at least get Swimming MB and Canoeing MB at summer camp their first year so they can participate in troop outings requiring those abilities.(This message has been edited by KA6BSA)

[OldGreyEagle]

Here's a thought KA6BSA,

 

your council withdrew the rule that a scout couldnt take more than 5 eagle required merit badges from a single person because the rule arbitrary and most of all, against BSA policy.

 

I agree with a scout going outside his troop for merit badges, and I hate (well only a little) to bring the topics of other threads in, but the "5 merit badge rule" is an example of what Bob White is talking about when he talks about Scouting doesnt need rules, leastwise not a Council one that conflicts with BSA policy. (I think)