Bobcat in one month

[CNYScouter]

At the Pack meeting last night the DL told all the parents that he expects our Tigers to earn the Bobcat badge at the November Pack meeting.

 

So far we have had only one Den meeting and for the next meeting we are going to a local TV station.

The DL admitted that we were a month behind because he didnt get thongs together as fast as he should have.

 

If my son is going to earn Bobcat by the next Pack meeting I will need to work with him a good deal at home.

When my 2 older sons were in Cubs they picked it up pretty quick but they were a year older (Wolfs).

 

Any suggestions on teaching the Bobcat badge to a 6 year old?

 

[AnaMaria]

The key is repetition. Go over things every day until you feel he's met the requirement, then sign off. (I don't remember, for instance, whether it's to memorize, or just "say" the oath, promise, etc. And while I understand not adding to the requirements, I expected my sons to have it memorized, but not everyone interprets it that way. You're Akela, when you're satisfied, sign off.)

 

My own Tiger (joined June 1 this year) completed everything in a day because he memorizes very easily, had been exposed to these things for 3 or 4 years already, and was highly motivated.

 

Some more concrete things to do (depending on his reading level) are to make a poster and cover up more and more words as he progresses. For the shorter items, put each word on an index card and have him put them in order. Have him record himself saying the promise, law of the pack, etc. and then listen. Write on his two fingers the meaning (obeys, gives good will).

 

Good luck and enjoy scouting.

[Melgamatic]

The only requirement that is beyond "say and tell what it means" is the Cub Scout Promise. That one you have to "learn and say" which I guess means memorize, although if that's what it means I wish it said that.

 

[artjrk]

Did things change for Tigers in the last few years? When I was a Tiger Den Leader 8 years ago the boys earned their Tiger badge first and then worked on getting their Bobcat badge afterwards before they crossed over to Wolves. My youngest has just joined Cub Scouts as a Tiger and his DL has not mentioned that he needs to be working on his Bobcat yet.

[John-in-KC]

Yes, they changed. Everyone earns Bobcat first.

 

Let's remember one of the methods of Cub Scouting is Family Involvement. Mom is AKELA. Dad is AKELA. Uncle Billybob is AKELA. Aunt Myrtle is AKELA.

 

It's not just the DL's job to sign stuff off, it belongs to any adult who the Scout has a relationship with!!

[rmeints]

I believe that the Tiger Cub Handbook on page 18 states it fairly clearly:

 

"The advancement requirements are written in such a way as to give you room to customize activities for your boy and your den. There are no performance requirements for Tiger Cubs. Boys should never be tested or placed in a position where they will not be successful. Simply participating in the activities and doing his best constitutes completion."

 

They italicized the last sentence for emphasis.

[rmeints]

The Tiger Cub Program has gone through some revisions for achievemnet over the last few years, and the Tiger Cub book doesn't seem to have been completely reviewed and edited to catch all of the references on sequence and such.

 

The way I have been teaching it to Den Leaders is:

 

1. Complete the three requirements to get their Tiger Cub Immediate Recognition Emblem.

2. Complete the remaining 5 requirements to get their Bobcat Badge.

3. Complete the 15 requirements for the Tiger Cub Rank Badge.

 

One of the nice things in the above order of sequence is that the 3 requirements to get the immediate recognition emblem are the same as 3 of the 8 Bobcat requirements. Thus, earning the emblem gets you almost halfway to Bobcat. Plus, they can work on and get Tiger Track beads for Tiger Rank while working on their Bobcat.

[ScoutNut]

Repition is the key for learning anything. More so for a 1st grader. As Tiger Partner / Akela, it is your job to work with your Tiger on EVERYTHING.

 

The only performance requirement for ANY level of Cub Scout (Tiger thru Webelos) is Do Your Best. As your Tiger's Akela, if you feel he has done his best to complete the requirement, then it is completed and you should sign off on it in his handbook.

 

The Bobcat requirements are -

 

LEARN and say the CUB SCOUT PROMISE

 

SAY the LAW OF THE PACK. Tell what it means.

 

TELL what WEBELOS means

 

SHOW the CUB SCOUT SIGN. Tell what it means.

 

SHOW the CUB SCOUT HANDSHAKE

 

SAY the CUB SCOUT MOTTO.

 

GIVE the CUB SCOUT SALUTE. Tell what it means.

 

They also have to do the Honesty Character Connection and the YP excercises.

 

Most of the requirements involve repeating something and discussing it's meaning. Learning the Promise is the biggest thing. If you go over 1 Bobcate requirement with him each day, and have him repeat the Promise after you at least once each day, he should have no problem finishing in one month.

 

The Sign, Salute, and Promise are all a part of our opening each week. The Sign and Motto are part of our closing. Since it's been a month, I will change up our closing to do the Handshake instead of a Living Circle for a while.

 

You could practice the Handshake with your Tiger as part of his bedtime ritual, or when you drop him off at school. Talk about what the LAW means as a part of the Family Talk requirement #4F.

 

 

[Karen_216]

The main reason they do this so early is so those tigers dont' get left out of all the awards. I actaully moved our bobcat for Tigers back from OCTOBER which they did last year and to November. Yes they are to Learn and Say but they don't have to memorize.We do a repeat after me format- so they'll have maybe a couple of den meetings and a pack meeting in already? if Pack meeting is beginning of month then ask to have it pushed back to Decemeber, you tell Cm when they are ready not the other way around.

They prob will be . Also the sooner tey do this the more they'll understand pack meetings.

You say it every night at bed just like all the stuff my son had to learn for first communion. I also made little card for them .

Make a game and they'll learn it in one meeting. They boys pick up fastr than you think. It really is not that much to do and can be done in one meeting.

Two suggestions--

Make lines of the Promise in big briong on poster board all taped together- and have them say it after you.

Then pull part each line and line boys up to each say again. then mix up the cards and hand out and they have to get in correct order themselves.The parents can help them out by helping them to read what is on their pieces

 

for the Law - do motions-

Follows akela - fingers pointing to adult

pack go-- they run in place,

help scout Grow- crouch down and then slowly stand up

Gives good will- put arms out

it's not as difficlut as it seems.

[ScoutNut]

They do not have to memorize the Law of the Pack. All they have to do is SAY it. This can be as simple as repeating after their Akela ONE TIME. They also have to tell what it means. As discussion with Akela will cover this.

 

The motions to accompany the Law are interesting, and possibly fun for the boys, but are not necessary.

 

[Basementdweller]

Relax they are 6 years old, if they don't have fun they will not come back. Who really cares if they earn their bobcat in one month or three????????? Just so long as they have fun.

[Sephrina]

I believe my son had the requirements completed in a couple of weeks. Of course, it was a condition of joining the pack of his choice. Granted, he could say it to me much better than when his pack leadership tried to retest him (we put an end to that), but he knew it at the time.

[mkarlinm]

I have to say I am the cubmaster for the pack and i asked for the bobcats to be ready a little over a month. I think they can do it. I am not looking for prefection I am looking for them to "Do their Best", I rather them understand the meaning behind the promise than them just memorizing it.

Melissa

[Goose22]

I am a new Tiger leader myself. I emailed all the parent and asked them to please work on this stuff with there boys. everyone did it. I also made up some little cheat sheets that the boys can keep in there uniform pockets. I also have a poster board that I made up and have out at the begining of each meeting. I think I am going to bring them for pack meetings also.

[CD_Ranger]

I gave each Adult Partner a copy of the 7 say/show requirements. Had the boys stand about 50 feet away and ran a relay race to their Adult Partner. Each Adult Partner would ask the cub one of the requirements and if he needed help say it with him. Then they would race back to the line tag it and race back to the Adult Partner and do another requirement till they finished them all. I awarded the winner the Denner shoulder cord. I explained his responsibilities of leading the line as we moved from place to place and making sure they were all lined up and quiet in line. The last place "finisher" got the Assistant Denner. He was rewarded for doing his best and not giving up but finishing the race. He was responsible for making sure the area we were in was clean before we left and that no one was left behind. He got to be the line anchor. They both got to take in the den banner into the pack meeting. By the next meeting all of the boys had the requirements memorized with very little prodding.