Monthly Themes & Weekly Topics

[baggsjr]

Hello,

 

I have recently became a Program Aide for the ScoutReach Program in my local council. Even though I had Cub Scouting experience in the past as a Cub myself and then as an Assistant Webelos Den Leader, I had no idea what I was getting myself into now.

 

My job now with the BSA is to "teach" Cub Scouts to "at risk" boys who need scouting to not necessarily stay out of trouble, but for it to be a valuable tool in their life. Advancement is not the key for me, just for them to have fun and learn what scouting is all about (completing requirements as we go along of course).

 

My questions to you all is, where do I begin looking for information as far as what I do as each meeting? Believe it or not, right now I have about 25 boys. These boys though range from ages 6-12, which means they are all levels of Cub Scouting.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Eagle92]

Looks I am responding to you again For CS ages, I would get copies of the PROGRAM HELPS. Unfortunately national has decided to no longer produce them, but national still has this link us with 2008-2009 Program Helps. So ebay Program Helps and get some ideas. If you use the link, you will see that it is organized by grade level and by meeting. #1 resource for Cub leaders, and national has discontinued it fo no Earthly idea.

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Leaders/CubScoutHelps.aspx

 

As for BS age youth, THEY need to do the planning, with your help. For that i recommend Troop Program Features, Vols. 1, 2, & 3. each volume contains 12 months worth of ideas, so theoretically you can do 3 years without repeating. However most units will develope a niche, and they will do that activity more often, expanding the skills learned byt hte ascouts.

[AKdenldr]

baggsjr,

 

Thanks for stepping up for the boys. Monthly program helps are great for the cubscout program and keep the fun in the program. But, I think you will find that you will have to further plan your year for achievements in addition, to help the boys advance. (Which they take great pride in.)

 

IMHO much of the cub program makes the assumption of a certain level of functional home support for advancement. Boys who don't earn awards and advance relative to their peers are more likely to drop. I'm guessing with an at risk population you will have less support at home so most of the accomplishments whould need to be in the group? right?

 

Best of luck in your venture. You have an opportunity to really touch some lives.

[ScoutNut]

If HOAC expects you to "teach" the BSA program, I think it might be a good idea if you were at least minimally trained.

 

I would recommend taking all of the online training here -

 

http://olc.scouting.org/

 

If you take it all, you should then have a good basic knowledge of the program you are a part of.

 

Since you seem to be doing the work of Cubmaster, den leader, and Scoutmaster (11 and 12 year old boys are no longer Cub Scouts, they are Boy Scouts - entirely different program), I would also suggest you take Cub Scout den leader specific, Webelos den leader specific, and Scoutmaster Essentials, as soon as they are offered anywhere in your council.

 

 

 

 

[baggsjr]

I guess I used the term "teach" loosely. I ahve completed so many Cub Scout and Boy Scout Specific Leader Trainings in the past and have even began to retake some of the online classes this past week to refresh my mind on the "lil ones". I found out today that when school starts back up in August I will not have the 11-12 year old boys as they will be going to differnt activities and will not be there. Still though I have a challange in conducting basically a den meeting for these boys, with all dens present at once. I have the few Tigers, several Wolves & Bears and even some that are Webelos age. This is where I think it is challenging and where I was asking for the help. How do I conduct business for all age groups at once? Bobcat... well that is easy because everyone needs it. After that though if I work on the Tigers, then the others will be bored or it will be too easy for them, or if I work on Webelos then it will be over the heads of everyone else.

 

Any suggestions or anything would help.

 

Thanks.

[cubbingcarol]

I do not envy you at all. I am working on my second go round as Web. den leader with my 2nd son. I have done it all twice! I do not see how one (actually three or more adults if you follow adult to child ratio) can have all age groups at one time. The attention spans, level of understanding, need for adult participation for Tigers, etc. My hands are full with 5 boys.

[ScoutNut]

Will it just be you, or will you have any other adults there to help you? Actually, with 25 boys, depending on the adult to cub ratio your council uses, you should have 3 or 4 other adults there to help.

 

Personally, I think it is to hard to find things to do that are pertinent to, and fun for, that big of an age range all together. Openings (flag ceremonies), games, songs, some crafts, and closings would work well done together. For any activities dealing with advancement, I would break off the Scouts into Tigers, Wolf/Bear, and Webelos with other Program Aides or adults.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

As your employer, does your council have any ideas, recommendations, resources, lesson plans, guidelines, goals, etc, for you?

 

 

[vancescouting]

Welcome to the "club"! I am the "Para-pro" for four schools in their after school program. I've done this for three years now. The program helps are GREAT! I can't believe that National is doing away with them! Of course several of the ideas or activities don't work for my type of program. We have many restrictions from the school district. My main goal has always been to get the boys to earn their Bobcat. We accomplish that using the monthly themes and having fun! My boys have been sitting in school all day and aren't interested in a lot of "book" work. I have been very frustrated in not being able to get my boys to advance in rank but as you said its VERY difficult with the age range of boys and NO parent support. I have one teenage helper provided by the school to assist. He or she has had no scout training. We have just started a lot of flag work so that some of the more experienced boys can provide acolor guard for PTA meetings etc. Additionally, we work on belt loops that are "good" for any rank.