Webelos question

[kittle]

My husband and I are following our son's Bear den to Webelos as the leaders. I have a couple of questions.

 

At your den meetings, do you have flag ceremonies, pledges, etc? If not, what do you do to pull your meetings together? We did OK this last year, but it seemed that we had a hard time getting the boys to settle into the start of a meeting. I would like to find a way to change that. We didn't have anything that we regularly did at the beginning of meetings.

 

Thanks,

Katrina

Webelos leader

[Eamonn]

During my "Stint" we always had an Opening.

I used to run a very active game as the "Gathering/ Premeeting activity.

The best of luck with your "New Den " Webelos Scouts are great to work with, everything is such an adventure.

I had the bestest time.

[kassie428]

I just finished my first year as a Webelos leader. We started our meeting with the pledge and the cub scout promise, about 1/2 way through the year we switched to the boy scout promise. Also we had the boys elect a denner and assistant denner to serve for 1 month, they switched positions after 2 weeks. The denner and asst.denner did the flag ceremony and helped out.

 

If you dont already have it go buy the Webelos Leader guide it will really help a lot.

 

Good Luck

 

Kassie

[kittle]

I bought the Webelos leader book about 2 months ago so that I had a little more time to look at it. I am looking forward to the Webelos time, it looks very interesting. The book is very full of cool information.

 

Katrina

[OneHour]

Katrina,

 

When I was a Webelos Den Leader for my oldest, I always commenced the meeting with this format (by the way the Denner and his parent get to help with the planning ... part of my introduction to the scouting's Patrol Method):

 

1) Gathering activities.

 

2) Always start at 7:00pm sharp (whether there are 2 or 10 Webelos). So punctuality was always my aim and the parents knew before hand.

 

3) My Denner would lead the Den in presenting the Colors. The Denner called out the Colors Command with two other Webelos as Honor Guards (including the Pledge of Alligiance). This is a good practice for their turn as the Pack Color Guards.

 

4) Then the Boy Scout Motto or Law (vice versa at Closing)

 

The steps 2-4 takes up about 3 minutes

 

5) 5 minutes worth of "Business Section"

 

6) 5 minutes of awards/recognition.

 

7) 20 minutes worth of activity pin works. (Having them build a fun project such as box hockey that can be easily spread over 2 Den Meetings).

 

8) 20-25 minutes games/songs/cheers (sometimes this moved to #7 and last 30 minutes). Remember, Den meetings are not all work and no play. It should be mostly play and some work!

 

9) Review of "home assignment" (parts of the activity pins that they need to finish before the next den meeting or about 2-3 minutes)

 

10) Closing with Scout Law or Motto (depends on what was done at Opening).

 

Totally 1 hour

 

 

Get a Den Chief if you can! This way the boys will get used to taking direction from an older scouts! Another prep for the BSA world.

 

Over the summer, believe it or not, most of the new Webelos grew up. They still have the "younger cub" behaviors, but overall they listen to instruction alot better. Before Webelos year started, I sat the parents down and explained to them what the program is about, what they can expect, and what they need to do in order to help their Webelos. I laid down the ground rules (including parental helps and boys' behaviors). After the first Webelos year, you'll be amazed how much the boys have changed since Tigers.

 

At the start of the 2nd-year, I allowed my Webelos to act as a Patrol with the election of a Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader. As a patrol, they plan the activities for the remaining six months (including campouts and outings ... of course with my guidance). I was pleasantly surprised how well they adapted to the Patrol Method. One of their choices was to go see a movie together as a Patrol ... and we did!

 

Remember one thing, get trained if you have not done that already, including OWL (Outdoor Webelos Leaders). Get all of the help by attend round table, by asking ex-Webelos Leaders, by taking best practices that you have learned, by utilizing the Webelos handbook, and by having fun with them. One thing that some of the Webelos Den Leaders whom I know failed to do ... is to take their boys out camping! This is a intro to boyscout ... so here is your chance to get them excited about Boy Scout!

 

Toward Spring (or earlier)... visit a troop (eventhough alot of troops doesn't want to bother with 1st-year Webelos). If you have several troops to screen, then ask each troop to sponsor your Den on a Webelos transition campout starting in the Spring time of your 1st Year. Good luck. Webelos year is probably the coolest year for a Cub Scout and for me!

 

1Hour

 

ps: Don't forget to start to plan for the AOL at the end of your 1st Year!

[jbroganjr]

onehour has some great suggestions. I would also seek out the webelos to scout transition. If your pack does not have it, the unit commissioner or the RT commissioner should have it.

Round Table will (should) run a webelos to scout transition session, find out and go!

 

One of the hardest things, when visiting a troop for the first time, is to get by the "boy run" thing. In cubs, us adults run the show, in the troop, the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) runs the show, much like cubmaster. It can appear chaotic. The webelos to Scout transition should have a troop visitation check list. Take the time to fill it out and ask questions. An important one, does the troop have a ASM or adult leader whose function is to coordinate with the webelos den?

Also, as a a den/patrol, allow the boys to come up with their own patrol emblem, i.e. Owls (which rule) or Dragons, etc.

I would further suggest that the webelos are now the top dogs in the pack. At pack meetings, they should be encouraged to set the example, with walk ons, skits, demonstration tables etc.

Also, a good den chief is invaluable. Read up on using a den chief, he is not just another scout, he should be capable to run a meeting by himself if needed, so use his input... and don't be discouraged if he tells you your plan is weak. Let him show you how to do it!

As for den chiefs, further, the should be selected: one by wanting the job, not just because their younger brother is in the den.

two, while there is no age requirement, a good rule of thumb is at least 2 years or better 2 school grade difference. (3 works best, IMHO). Three, he might not be at every meeting, Four, He should have in his possesion the Den Chief Handbook and He should be trained...looked for the trained patch on his uniform.

I have observed that there are den chiefs who get as much, if not more fun, out of being a den chief than just being a boy scout. It takes a special scout to do this. I have been fortunate to see some outstanding den chiefs rise to this challenge.

[jbroganjr]

onehour has some great suggestions. I would also seek out the webelos to scout transition. If your pack does not have it, the unit commissioner or the RT commissioner should have it.

Round Table will (should) run a webelos to scout transition session, find out and go!

 

One of the hardest things, when visiting a troop for the first time, is to get by the "boy run" thing. In cubs, us adults run the show, in the troop, the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) runs the show, much like cubmaster. It can appear chaotic. The webelos to Scout transition should have a troop visitation check list. Take the time to fill it out and ask questions. An important one, does the troop have a ASM or adult leader whose function is to coordinate with the webelos den?

Also, as a a den/patrol, allow the boys to come up with their own patrol emblem, i.e. Owls (which rule) or Dragons, etc.

I would further suggest that the webelos are now the top dogs in the pack. At pack meetings, they should be encouraged to set the example, with walk ons, skits, demonstration tables etc.

Also, a good den chief is invaluable. Read up on using a den chief, he is not just another scout, he should be capable to run a meeting by himself if needed, so use his input... and don't be discouraged if he tells you your plan is weak. Let him show you how to do it!

As for den chiefs, further, the should be selected: one by wanting the job, not just because their younger brother is in the den.

two, while there is no age requirement, a good rule of thumb is at least 2 years or better 2 school grade difference. (3 works best, IMHO). Three, he might not be at every meeting, Four, He should have in his possesion the Den Chief Handbook and He should be trained...looked for the trained patch on his uniform.

I have observed that there are den chiefs who get as much, if not more fun, out of being a den chief than just being a boy scout. It takes a special scout to do this. I have been fortunate to see some outstanding den chiefs rise to this challenge.

[kittle]

I haven't had a chance to reply, but did want to take the time to now.

 

I have been to training (for den leader). It was very interesting. I do think it would be nice to have each boy take a turn at denner. Shich could be a challenge for a couple of the boys which do not seem to have any organizing skills.

 

As far as camping goes. I am afraid that will be where our short coming is. I am not a camper so I will have to try to enlist the help of other parents who are. I also have a 2 year old son that refused to stay with anyone else, so this limits what I can do.

 

We are lucky enough to have been told to contact the Boy Scout troup as soon as we wanted to about visiting the troop.

 

I want to thank everyone for their advice and words of wisdom. They are much appreciated.

 

Katrina

[Eagledad]

Hi all

 

Along with some of the ideas already mentioned, in the last six months of our Webelos program, I had my Webelos meetings at the same time and place as the troop. I did it with the intentions to get the Webelos more comfortable with Boy Scouts. The only time the Webelos and Scouts were together was for openings where the Webelos would stand in formation as their own Patrol. After that we seperated from the troop and did our own program. My Webelos were surprised to learn that the Troop openings were almost identical with their own openings they had been doing for the last year.

 

When they weren't needed, I noticed the parents of my Webelos would drift off from time to time to go watch the scouts in action. Sometimes we had a problem with the Webelos having so much fun with their program that the Troop scouts came over to watch.

 

I had sixteen Webelos, eleven of them are Eagles now, with another, my son, on the way.

 

I think meeting at the same time as the troop was a great experience for the boys.

 

I love this scouting stuff.

 

Barry

[leonus]

I agree with the ideas that onehour suggested. I'm going into my third year as the webelos den leader and i always encouraged my boys to plan a flag ceremony at the beginning of our meetings. P{lanning and leading a flag ceremony is a requirement for their webelos rank badge and their arrow of light i believe also. Usually the boys will give a short story on the flags history then lead the pldge of allegiance then cub scout promise, which after four months we changed to the scout oath. I hope this helps you out a little. Good luck and remember that there is no better teacher than experience.