Questions about Wolf and summer

[Balding Eagle]

I will be a Wolf Den Leader next year and have a few questions:

 

1) Can the boys work on achievements over the summer?

2) Can the boys work on electives before earning their Wolf badges? If so, can these also be completed over the summer?

3) Is it preferable that all the boys earn their Wolf badges at the same time or should I encourage them to proceed at their own pace (provided they complete their achievements by the end of(This message has been edited by Tiger_Dad)

[Balding Eagle]

I will be a Wolf Den Leader next year and have a few questions:

 

1) Can the boys work on achievements over the summer?

2) Can the boys work on electives before earning their Wolf badges? If so, can these also be completed over the summer?

3) Is it preferable that all the boys earn their Wolf badges at the same time or should I encourage them to proceed at their own pace (provided they complete their achievements by the end of(This message has been edited by Tiger_Dad)

[Fat Old Guy]

1) Can the boys work on achievements over the summer?

 

Yep.

 

2) Can the boys work on electives before earning their Wolf badges? If so, can these also be completed over the summer?

 

Yep. They just can't be awarded any arrow points until they have their Wolf badge.

 

3) Is it preferable that all the boys earn their Wolf badges at the same time

 

I don't see any benefit in that and it can actually hold some boys back. If you have a boy who is excited about Scouting, he can complete most of Wolf over the summer.

 

 

 

[Balding Eagle]

Thanks FOG

 

Most of my message got through and you answered my questions!

[molscouter]

To expand on FOG's remarks, depending on what area of the country you are in, you might want to concentrate on the outdoor requirements and electives; here in the Nor(This message has been edited by molscouter)

[CubsRgr8]

I agree 100% with FOG's answers, there's no reason to hold back an enthusiastic scout.

[EagleInKY]

3) Is it preferable that all the boys earn their Wolf badges at the same time or should I encourage them to proceed at their own pace?

 

We tried to time things such that the boys would all complete about the same time. We told the parents up front that there would be one formal rank advancement presentation, and that, if their son completed early, we would recognize them in the den, but hold off the pack recognition until then.

 

Over five years as Cubmaster, I had one parent grumble. After pitching a fit, I went ahead and presented to their golden child early. We did nothing formal for him, just recognized him and did the badge pinning stuff. When we did the formal recognition later, he didn't even show up to support his fellow den members. I wasn't surprised.

[Bob White]

Instant recognition is a fundamental element of the advancement program. So is the ability of each scout to advance at his or her own pace, as long as the rank in cubbing is achieved while the scout is still age or grade appropriate. There is no difference between a rank earned in February or one earned in May. They should be treated the same and celebrated the same.

 

To not award a scout as soon as he has earned the award is wrong! To only present all the awards at one time with no other option is wrong! After the way the scout and his family was treated is it a surprise to anyone that he did not return for the other ceremony?

 

EagleinKY, your program methods should not be evaluated by how many parents complain or not, but on the quality and quantity of the program delivered to each individual boy.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[OneHour]

1) Can the boys work on achievements over the summer?

As a matter of fact, look into your District Day Camp. That's where the boys will have most fun with Cub Scouting and while work on a few requirements!

 

2) Can the boys work on electives before earning their Wolf badges? If so, can these also be completed over the summer?

As a matter of fact, you should encourage them to take advantage of the summer vacations to work on their electives and achievements, especially the ones that have to do with family outings!

 

3) Is it preferable that all the boys earn their Wolf badges at the same time or should I encourage them to proceed at their own pace (provided they complete their achievements by the end of

Each boy will be at a different pace. Now, having said all of the above, when your Den is back in full swing ... if your Den program has it that you do a large number of advancement at the Den meeting (which is not recommended ... since fun is what the boys want) you will have to arrange your Den program to accommodate the ones who are ahead! Now you might just split the Den into two. If you don't, then you will have some boys who will be bored ... and now you will have to figure out how to: 1) keep them from disturbing the other 2) keep them interested in Cub Scouting. Den meetings can be rearranged to work on the other the achievements or electives as well as having a lot of games!

 

If a boy flew through the Wolf requirements during summer, that Cub will be bored. Cub Scout is not like school where if you have an intelligent young man, he can finish a grade early and skip it to the next or in Boy Scout where the young man can finish all of his requirements for one rank and move up to the next right away ... where a young man can possibly attains his eagle before the age of 13 (that's another debate in another thread). So pace the Cub Scout and let him enjoys the fun of being a Cub Scout, but if he is eager, don't stop him.

 

Have fun,

1Hour

 

1Hour

[EagleInKY]

Bob - Not trying to debate. I agree with instant recognition. I stated that the boys were recognized in the den. I failed to mention that we also did the beads recognition at the pack meeting. It was just the "formal" presentation, that we always put a lot of effort into, that was done at one time. I don't think that violates any part of the program.

[Bob White]

EagleinKY,

 

If you mean it doesn't violate a policy, you are correct. But it does violate the spirit and goals of advancement. Why should some scouts get more recognition for the same accomplishment just because it occured at a time of your choosing?

 

Earning Wolf if February is no greater or lesser accomplishment than earning it in December or March. How much self esteem was that young cugb filled with? How much enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment did he feel?

 

Do what is right for the individual boy. That is how you will best deliver the promise of scouting.

 

 

[Laurie]

Maybe I missed this in the posts, but don't forget Bobcat. Not all Tigers earn Bobcat during the Tiger year, so make that the number one item. Then go for it! As for everyone earning things at the same time, as CM it makes it easier on me, but it is much rewarding to the boys to have their badges immediately. Our den leaders include items that enable the boys to advance together, but if some boys earn a badge earlier than others, they will be awarded them with a ceremony. The others will have a ceremony as they earn their badges. This past year is the first year--at least in a while--that this pack has practiced immediate recognition, and it has been very well received by the families. In fact, it is the one thing that they have identified as the reason they have stayed. Have fun over the summer! It's a great time to earn outdoor activities--at least here

[fotoscout]

I have to agree with OneHour, Im not comfortable with the boy earning his badge during the summer. CS is not intended to be lone wolf adventure. The boys (and familys) share in doing activities as well as achievements. What motivation would a boy have to come to weekly den meetings if hes already completed the program. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know..to have fun! But the larger motivation is the badge. The badge is the common goal and the thing the boys look forward to the most.

 

Early in the year, I decide which achievements will be done at den meetings and which will be done at home. The boys are free to do the home achievements at their own pace, and receive their beads ASAP after completion. The den achievements we share amongst the parents. These are planned to be FUN and engaging for the boys. It also serves to keep the parents involved.

 

We are a den, we do things together, and that includes receiving the badge at B&G. I dont and wont suggest that the boys dive into their Wolf achievements during the summer. If someone wants to immerse himself in the book, Ill might suggest that he work on electives, but this would not be my first choice because they cannot be awarded or wear the arrowpoints until they have earned the Wolf Badge.

 

If you are in need of something for the boys to do during the summer, I'd suggest that you have them earn Tiger Tracks (tiger electives). This way you'll be able to give them something at your first pack meeting in September!

 

[Twocubdad]

I think I understand what EagleInKY is saying. It's not that the boys are treated differently depending on when they earn the award, it's that the pack performs one elaborate ceremony at the end of the year. The boy whose parents complained received the award shortly after he earned it, and I will assume was welcome to participate in the larger ceremony later.

 

Our pack awards Arrow of Lights somewhat that way. We do a big, fancy AoL ceremony during crossover in February. Admittedly, because of the six-month requirement for AoL, the earliest a Scout could earn his AoL is in January. So if it came up, a boy would only be delayed a month in receiving the award. In the past three years, I can't recall that it's been an issue.

 

I will say that we award Tiger, Wolf and Bear awards as soon as they are earned, usually from December through the end of the year.

[Laurie]

Good point about not going for the whole Wolf badge over the summer. I agree with that, and in fact, we encouraged the following activities last summer--as a pack though some could be done as a den--and found this to be effective:

 

(1) Use the summer months for outdoor activities, especially for those going into Webelos.

 

(2) Use the Sports and Academic Program, and this way the boys are earning something but not knocking out the rank so quickly. Host some pack activities, maybe one a month, and during that time earn a belt loop. This was a huge hit last year! By the way, if one activity per month is held by the pack, that means the boys who qualify can be awarded the National Summertime Award--a cool way to kick off the new Cub/school year!

 

(3) Leave No Trace activities, hikes, day camp, family overnight camp, and other activities that are fun but not required to advance.

 

(4) Pack fundraising can be done now, and this pack had a great time holding 2 fairly small carwashes.

 

(5) Patriotic observances. The pack looked for, and found, opportunities to be part of small observances (it's a small pack just beginning summer activities), but the flag ceremonies were a hit with the boys and with the community.

 

This year we are adding Good Turn For American projects and the BSA Family Program. Each allows the boys and their families opportunities to keep Scouting going, but in a far more flexible way. The GTFA project that just kicked off is on-going and is recycling so it does not depend on meetings. The BSA Family Program also does not depend on pack/den meetings. This appeals to the pack (and to individual dens too) in the summer.