Who Should Take Care Of Cub Scout Advancement?

[Eamonn]

I seen Cub Scout advancement as something that was more about having families work together, than being about the little Lads "Earning" or passing requirements.

I have to admit that I'd never heard of a Cub Scout Advance-aree.

With so many people not understanding the Boy Scout Advancement Method. I kinda think that this just is setting the wrong tone.

Eamonn.

[Ltfightr]

I think it should be a group effort. The Den Leader needs to help keep them focused on the book. And the parents need to help them learn what is in the book. This is just talking about the rank badges.

 

We have a little something sort of like the "Advance-aree" but it's a weekend camping trip where they can earn up to 4 belt loops or none, it's up to them. This is my first year and I would hate to see that go away. Mostly because it looks like the only time my pack goes camping. And we (as a family) love to camp.

 

Diana

[SctDad]

I think you are right. It is a group effort. THere are some things that should be done at home. Example, Achievement 12 in the Wolf Book. I see no reason why we should have to dedicate a whole meeting to this one. Unless you have a group of boys who do not mind talking about these things with everyone and doing this instead of other activities.

 

But as leaders, we also have a responsibility to help all those out. There are some things that are better done as a group. And a little more fun.

[Sarge]

With cubs, it's supposed to be more family oriented.

My den leader assigns one achievement for homework every 2-3 weeks. Depends on Pack nights, weeks off for holidays, etc.

We make the boys write a sentence or two describing what they did for each stage of the achievement.

This way, we can confirm that the boys actually participated IN the activity, not just having overzealous parents (read as: ME) signing things off for more awards.

We do some of the requirements in meetings (food pyramid, birdhouses, flags), but most of them are at home objectives.

We have them on pace to be finished with their Wolf badges before their Blue and Gold Banquet in February.

Not sure what happens then, though.

Do we work on electives towards arrowheads until the 'moving up ceremony', or are they technically considered finished with wolves and free to work on Bear projects for next year?

[AlFansome]

 

Sarge-

While Wolves, they only work out of the Wolf books. No Bear books at all until they graduate 2nd grade (same as no Webelos until graduated 3rd grade, no Wolf until graduated 1st grade, etc..). In our Pack, we present the new books at the last Pack meeting of the school year so boys who want to can get a head start over the summer.

After the Wolf badges are done, then electives and arrowpoints are good or you can work on other awards that the boys may be interested in (Leave No Trace, World Conservation Award, Emergency Preparedness, belt loops, etc...) or JUST HAVE FUN (field trips, go fishing, take advantage of Council camping opportunities, whatever). You can even come up with some skits or songs or jokes to present at Pack meetings.

Let they boys be involved in some of this once the "required" stuff is done. Present options, get input, go do it.

 

My $.02, for what it's worth.

[SctDad]

Sarge

 

I have to agree with AL. After the ranks is earned, work on electives. Work on Belt loops, and all the stuff al said.

 

I am afraid that if I keep going I am just going to repeat what AL said.

 

We are looking like we are on the same track as you are. At least for a major part of our wolf Cubs

[Sarge]

Thanks guys.

Kind of what I figured, but wanted to be certain.

Was unsure because last year, my son transferred Packs in March. He was a little short for earning Tiger before the old groups B&G (didn't know it was a goal at that time...). We wrapped up his requirements and attended the moving up ceremony in May with the new pack, where he received his badge.

Afterward, we were told they were considered 'Wolves' and could start earning towards those requirements for this year.

Perhaps it was the proximity to the end of the school year that they told us this.

Thanks again.

[Ltfightr]

I think the Moving Up Ceremony is the key here. Until then they are the "old" rank but after they can start working on the new stuff.

 

Diana

[SctDad]

That is the way that we do it in our pack.

 

Basically like this

Tigers can start just after the complete kindergarten

 

Wolves after the finish 1st Grade

 

So on and so forth.

 

We are going to be trying for the extra badges this year, Emer Prep, Crime Prev. and stuff like that.

[ScoutNut]

Per BSA -

 

"Advancement is one of the methods used to achieve Scouting's aimscharacter development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Everything a Cub Scout does to advance is designed to achieve these aims and aid in his personal growth. THESE BADGES ARE A MEANS TO AN END-NOT AN END IN THEMSELVES." (my caps)

 

"The advancement plan is designed for parents to use to create a learning environment in their home. With the Cub Scout handbooks as a resource, parents and boys work together to do the achievements required for each badge. The advancement plan provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members work with boys on advancement projects."

 

 

One of the purposes of Cub Scouting is Family Understanding. Family Involvement is also a method of Cub Scouting. Advancement however, is a method of Cub Scouting, NOT a purpose. Boys grow, learn, and achieve the purposes of Cub Scouting, through a lot of different activities. Advancement is only one.

 

There are some rank requirements and electives that fit well into a den setting. There is nothing wrong with doing these together as a den. However, the main area to complete advancements should be with the family, in the home.

 

 

 

 

 

[AlFansome]

Yeah, our typical schedule is:

 

- end of January: Arrow of Light for Webelos II and crossover to Boy Scouts. Maybe Webelos badge for Webelos I.

 

- February: B&G ... we typically don't do advancement

 

- March & April: Tiger, Wolf, Bear badges when ready

 

- May: last pack meeting. Tigers, Wolves and Bears get their new neckerchiefs, slides and books for the summer and following year along with their new service stars and attendance awards. We have a nice ceremony and a wodden bridge that all the boys walk over and are presented their new gear on the other side.

At this meeting, all kindergardeners and parents are also invited to check out the pack, too, so we make sure we do lots of fun skits, songs and stuff, too.

This is in addition to a recruiting event that we put on in May for prospective new Tigers. We like to get them all signed up in May/June so we get all the new applications and Tiger Den Leaders in place right as school lets out. Just like in Boy Scouts, if you can get the new kids involved in summer activities (campouts, hiking, kite day, overnighters, etc...) right after they join, then you get better retention and even more boys signing up in the fall when they see their buddies in their uniforms. This year we got 17 out of 21 possible 1st graders in our Tiger Dens.

 

(edited to fix typo)

(This message has been edited by AlFansome)

[IM_Kathy]

my son's former pack (now in boy scouts) finally changed their "cross over" to December where the rest of the packs have it. The rest has stayed the same...

 

they recommend the following...

 

new scouts - Bobcat by November

Webelos I - try to get Webelos badge by Nov-Dec

Tiger, Wolf, Bear ranks completed by B&G in Feb

and then the TW&B get their elective beads or arrow points at the end of the year cross over which is in April.

 

once they cross over they can start the next level... when I was a den leader except when they were webelos I got the boys together every so often during the summer and we worked on Electives for the up coming rank because if we did work on requirements it never failed that we would get a new scout in the fall. But then as Webelos we worked those 2 summers on some of the pins, but not ones that were required for the Webelos badge or the Arrow of light. Also as a webelos if they didn't miss a meeting (or if they did made up work at home) and completed the family member at home they would earn the supper 20 badge... I had 2 of my boys earn it.

 

For my scouts if they knew the goal for them as a den and as an individual... T,W,B goal was for each to earn their rank badge and at least 1 elective bead or arrow point - but each boy they set their own goal on how many elective/arrows they wanted to earn... my son wanted to earn 4 arrows each year and he actually earned more than that each year.

 

I think having the boys set their goal really helps them. And as they progress I reinforce by saying things like "oh wow, now you just need to complete 2 more electives to make your goal" or like "hey NAME, you were working so hard on your goal earlier and you've slowed down, is there something I can do to help you reach it?"

 

[DeanRx]

In Cub Scouting it is the role of the Akela (i.e. adult helper) be that mom and dad, an older sibling (over 18), gandparent, etc... to aid the cub in their advancement.

 

The Pack program should offer opportunities for cubs to earn acheivements towards rank, but the completion / sign-off responsibility falls to the Akela.

 

We just wrapped up a weekend family campout. As CM, I went so far as to list out by rank and acheivement number a miraid of things we were going to be doing at the campout that could count towards a given cub's rank. In addition, they had the opportunity to earn 4 belt loops.

 

I made an announcement at the first evening of camp that the adults should get one of these sheets from me to track their scout's activities for the weekend. I also stated that the Akela should use the sheet as reference to their cub's specific rank, sign off what they did, then turn it into their DEN LEADER who would forward it to the Advancement Chair for the pack.

 

I still had about 6 to 8 parents ask me if I was going to put their scout in for the belt loops they earned this weekend !!! What? I can hardly put on a program, keep track of my own kid and what he's done, and still run the classes / etc.

 

I absolutley HATE for a scout to miss out on an award - but 99% of the time they do its because the PARENTS (i.e. Akela) fails to follow the guidelines with regards to advancement turn in deadlines / etc...

 

I have had numerous parents come to me and state, "Well you were there at the event, I thought you were going to put Johnny in for z,y,x ..." No, my job is to run the program as laid out by the Pack Committee and the CC. Additionally, I am responsible to turn in MY scout's advancement info to his Den Leader by the deadline just like everyone else in the pack, or my son will wait another month to get his award, just like theirs will have to.

 

The responsibility lies with the parent(s) / Akela. If the scout fails to make rank by June 1 of the following scout year, then the Akela needs to have a talk with their scout about planning, sticking to a schedule, and personal responsibility.

 

We have as an agenda item for our committee meeting tomorrow night: Where do each of the Dens stand on their advancement for the year? What can the pack do to encourage? What can the DL's do to encourage / help? But, bottom line - if the scout doesn't do it (and the Akela doesn't guide the cub), then I won't hand it out.

 

There is NO rubber stamping of awards. It cheats those scouts that actually DO the acheivements to EARN the rank. The rank is EARNED, not GIVEN. I don't care if its a Tiger Cub Rank Badge or an Eagle Award - you either did the achievements to earn it or you didn't. The only way the unit can know is if someone takes the responsibility to DOCUMENT the scout's advancement. We have over 50 cubs in our pack. Its dang near impossible, not to mention unfair to expect the pack leadership to attempt to track / guide each individual scout over the year. Periodic checks / encouragement for the DL's and parents - YES... take the responsibility from the DL's and Akelas - heck NO!

 

If a pack wants to do an "Advance-aree" to help promote advancement within their pack, then good for them. Hopefully, they set it up so that the Akelas are heavily involved in the teaching. If its a round robbin classroom with little parental involvement, I would question what (if anything) it does to promote family time together and personal responsibility / initative? Those are two of the main goals of the Cub Scouting program - 1) Family time together and 2) Foster Independence in the cub.

 

BTW - the old addange of "I'm too busy to do it..." is a parental cop out. Every adult leader in our pack (myself included) works full time, has other kids with other activities, etc... Like my father used to tell me when he asked me if I completed a task and I stated, "I just ran out of time..." - Answer, "No son, it just wasn't that important to you, you failed to make it a priority."

 

The problem is too few parents want to make their scout's advancement a priority in their son's development - so those that are involved resort to MBU's and Advance-O-Ree's / etc... to substitute for parental involvement.(This message has been edited by DeanRx)

[Eamonn]

I find it sad that it seems some people (Scouter's) are not happy or are some how ill at ease allowing things to work the way that they are supposed too.

If we allow this "All Mighty Goal Of Advancement" to become the goal in Cub Scouting? Is it any wonder that parents who have sons in Boy Scouting see Eagle Scout rank as the reason for their son being in Boy Scouts.

If we don't allow parents to do what they are supposed to do?

Is it any wonder that when their son's get involved in Boy Scouting they are happy to just leave everything in the hands of the few overworked adults in the Troop or the Webelos Scout Den?

The standard for meeting requirements in Cub Scouting is that a Lad does his best.

Parents do know when their son has done his best. Systems that work toward checking that parents are doing their job , only undermine the way things are supposed to be and are supposed to work.

Packs and Dens working around a common theme, not working on individual advancement or Den advancement is how I have always seen Cub Scouting work at its best.

This talk of Cub Scout Advancement What-Ever?? Is very upsetting.

Do some things need to be looked at and worked on as a Den?

Maybe.

But we are working with little Lads who are still in elementary school. Most parents that I have met are up to the task. Sure they might need some help.

Most times that help can be given in a couple of minutes conversation after a Den meeting.

If we are not going to trust parents to do their job?

What hope have we ever of trusting Boy Scouts to do theirs?

Eamonn

(Staff Member NECS58)

 

 

[Sarge]

'The problem is too few parents want to make their scout's advancement a priority in their son's development - so those that are involved resort to MBU's and Advance-O-Ree's / etc... to substitute for parental involvement.'

 

This is so true.

That is the primary reason when I was younger, I only lasted one year in scouts. Didn't even finish my Wolf badge.

My dad never made it a priority for him and I was too young to stay focused myself.

His lack of interest rubbed off on me, and I quit after that one term.

I have vowed NOT to let that happen with my boys.

 

Just need to be careful that I'm not too overenthusiastic...