Question on pack meetings

[WarrenW]

Hi,

 

I just have a quick question. During your pack meetings, does your cubmaster do all of the talking as far as events, pack business, etc.? Or does other members of your committee share these roles during a pack meeting such as the committe chairman, etc.? I'm sure each pack may do things different but I was wondering if there was a default role to follow.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Karen_216]

If you are running the event you can get up and talk about it if you are comfortable or have the Cubmaster talk about it and just have you stand up and wave. I've had the Committee Chair get up and talk to parents about volunteer positions (fell on deaf ears). He dressed up as a Rev war soldier to promote and event (it was cool).

I like the idea of other people standing up and talking as it lets everyone know- it takes a village.

[ManyHats]

Typically the Cubmaster in our Pack does all the talking. On occasion that role is given to someone else. Ex. popcorn kickoff - the popcorn chair talks the most. At graduation the CC felt that was their job. The rest of us chime in if CM missed anything or want to add to it.

[John-in-KC]

The CM should be a Ringmaster... Dens should be showing their stuff with ceremonies (flag, law, promise), songs, and skits!

 

CM and his ACM get to manage awards... in my Pack, it was Tiger activity/Tiger Awards, then the same for Wolves, Bears, and Webelos. Sometime CM would mix up the order, but Tigers were usually first; many times even the adrenaline high wasn't enough to keep them going after 8PM.

 

CC should introduce visitors. Business of the Pack should always be in the background... email, group collaboration website, committee meeting, letter to parents, anything but an *ANNOUNCEMENT* in front of the youth.

 

Yes, I said the magic word... someone cue the song!

[scottteng]

Sometime back when I was a den leader our cubmaster would call up the den leader to present the awards for the den. The den leader had a better grasp of the names and the specific accomplishments. The cm was basically the ring master of the often three ring circus. Due to the size of the pack one den did a skit, another did flag, another did a song, and another did a cheer. These duties were rotated

[Eagledad]

There isnt really a default role to follow. It really depends on the adults. Allow me to give a few facts I learned that might help you on this question

 

First, let me set this basic premise: Meetings should no longer than an hour, and the goal should really be 50 minutes. The whole family is more likely to go watch big brother in short meetings because the sibling can be controlled for about 50 minutes. If the meetings are long, them typically one parent will stay home to baby sit. You want a Pack Meeting to be a family event.

 

So with that in mind:

 

1. Add at least 5 minutes for every additional person who gets up in front of the group.

2. Scouts loose interest in 30 seconds if the subject is not fun.

3. It takes at least 1 minute to get the scouts focus back.

4. Announcements average 15 minutes.

5. Boys HATE announcements.

6. Pack meetings should be planned as 100% fun and entertainment. No boring business.

 

If the Cubmaster is a good entertainer, then they should do as much as the meeting as possible to keep it going. If not, then the Cubmaster can take more of the circus announcer role and introduce entertaining adults to lead each part of the meeting. Understanding of course of adding 5 minutes to the meeting for each adult. One example is I eventually learned to be a pretty good entertainer, but was a lousy singer. So when it was time for a song, I brought up a fun song leader. After the song, that adult was gone and I was running the meeting again.

 

Part of the reason you add at least 5 minutes for each additional person who gets up in front of the meeting is the amount of time it takes just to get on stage. As I said, you lost the boys after 30 seconds, so if it takes Wolf Den 3 a minute to set up for a skit, you have lost all the other scouts and are loosing control of the meeting. The Den 3 leader will likely need another minute just to quiet down the group so they can start their skit.

 

The way to help that problem is give every person on the agenda a copy of the meeting agenda so they know when their time is in the meeting and ask them to be ready by the stage so they can walk right on. Your goal is no pauses between changes. That works well for adults who can start right into job like leading a song or telling a story or even annoucements. But, for those dens that need a minute to set up, that is when the Cubmaster or entertaining adult pulls out the joke book and keeps the boys focused. Or what ever, but dont allow the scouts to loose focus because it takes a least a minute to get that focus back.

 

One last thing. If it is not fun for the scouts, take it out of the program. Which leads me to ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE NOT FUN. We created a Pack news letter purely for this reason. If you have to make an announcement, make it fun. Or, use an announcement to have fun. Example is the Cubmaster coming out on rollerblades to announce the annual roller skating party next month. Or a quick skit with Tim the Tool Man coming out with a chain saw and a pinewood derby car to talk about the Pinewood Derby.

 

I hope this was a little clearer than mud. Only bring up adults that can keep the interest of the scouts. Do as few changes as possible to keep the meeting rolling. Keep the meeting short so families look forward to the meetings.

 

Sorry this was long. Have a great scouting week.

 

Barry

 

[Bob White]

There are far better ways to keep parents informed then by taking up the cub scouts program time by making announcements to adults.

 

As mentioned the Cubmaster is the MC, his or her role is to keep the meeting running on time and keep the energy level appropriate.

 

Being MC does not mean doing all the talking or even most the talking, it means that they control the event.

 

There are lots of opportunities in the Pack meeting plan for others to talk, bu please do not confuse that with making those dreaded announcements.

 

Pack meetings are monthly parties for the kids and their families. do not spoil it with announcements.

 

[fgoodwin]

Yeah, what eagledad said! Rule No. 1: Pack Meetings s/b fun for the boys. Rule no. 2: If you do or say anything that doesn't support rule no. 1, you need to rethink it.

 

I've been a TDL and CC for one pack, WDL for another, and UC for five more, and my experience has been that when adults take over the meeting, the boys get bored, start to fidget and you quickly lose their attention.

 

The best pack meetings have adults kinda "managing" things, but let the boys do the talking (skits, songs, run-ons, what we did this month, etc.).

 

Take no more than a few minutes at the end for announcements, and always point the parents to a written schedule of events in a pack newsletter, website, etc.

 

Answer questions after the meeting, or invite parents to come to the committee meeting.