Not earning Rank?

[Fehler]

I just find the idea of holding 2nd graders to the letter of the requirements distasteful. If we want to encourage them to advance, we need to make sure they are doing their best, whatever "their best" may be, to complete the achievements. If, when they are at the meetings, they are involved and participating, then so long as they attend at least "sporadically" (one Den meeting every other month) I'd award it to them. We cannot penalize them for the faults of their parents, whether its work scheduling, family issues, or other activities.

 

I had 6 Wolf scouts in my den, and like you two (mine and the son of their Tiger Den Leader), earned the Wolf Badge on their own, completing all requirements. As for the other four, two families lost the Handbook and were reluctant to buy a new one for the remainder of the year, one was heavy into sports, and the other had three younger brothers. The two who lost the book I made a list and checking off what we did in the meetings for them, and gave it to them. The sport family and I talked out what their schedule was with me, and kept in contact for the months they weren't there. And the boy with the brothers I just accepted that he kept showing up to the meetings as well as he could. In the last two months of Den Meetings I had "go back" activities that reinforced what was missed earlier (In October we did Achievement 7 and 8, and in April we did an Earth Day service project and earned the Nutrition Belt Loop).

 

By being positive and accommodating, I got every parent in my Den to also volunteer for the Pack for next year: Committee Secretary, Advancement Chair, Popcorn Chair, and the Sport family and Large family are the Tiger Den Leader and Assistant for next year.

 

Now, if we were talking Boy Scouts earning First Class, then hold the feet to the fire, point to their handbook, and say they need to get with the program. But with them, they can take as long as they want, they aren't "cut off" at the end of the year. I don't think by withholding the Wolf Badge these boys are going to want to continue in scouting.

 

In your case, I'd hold a "last chance" double-length Den Meeting on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon or evening for just the boys who need to complete the badge, set up "stations" covering some of the hands-on activities. Ask them if they've "done their best", and if they think they did, then award the Wolf Badge.

 

And remind them that as they get older, you will expect better adherence to the requirements. But in the Bear year, they will have more input into what those requirements are. For example, they can choose either learning how to safely use a pocket knife, OR how to ride a bike, OR how to fix things with tools. The choice will be theirs.

[AnnLaurelB]

Respectfully, I disagree. Now, if you have a Cub who's clearly TRYING, and say the parent emails you and says, "Hey, we smeared peanut butter on a pinecone and rolled it in birdseed and tied it to a tree yesterday. Can that count as the bird-watching thing, since we missed the Den trip to the park?"

 

YES!! I will GLADLY sign off on that effort. Was it technically bird-watching? No, but it was bird...nature...related. So, sure! A+ for effort!!

 

Or...at Pack meeting, after missing all 3 Den meetings, a parent says, "We don't have a pet, and didn't make it to the Pet Parade Den meeting with a poster about one, BUT we DID pet-sit our neighbor's cockatoo all last week. Does that count?"

 

YES IT DOES! ("Johnny, what kind of stuff did you and Dad/Mom have to do to take care of the bird? Oh? Newspapers, huh? Was that gross?!? Did he squawk a lot? He didn't try to bite you, did he?" etc...)

 

It's about EFFORT. If I see that EFFORT is being made, then I'm the most accommodating person in the world. Hell, I counted a trip through the Ace Hardware for one kid as HIS Tools sign-off because he missed Den.

 

It's FINE to just show up and have fun, and come to the Pack Parties and smack the figurative pinata. I have no problem with that. I will choose them as volunteers for silly games, throw candy at them, and make sure they get a goody bag, ad infinitem. If that's what they want out of the program, I'm totally okay with that.

 

But I won't hand out unearned (read: unattempted) Achievements. They're called Achievements for a reason, and only those who at least TRY to SHOW me that they're at least passing interested in EARNING them ... earn them. Earn means earn.

 

Everyone GRADUATED with thunderous applause, a high-five from me, a handshake from the Advancements Chair, and a new Bear necker. But only 2 got the Badge.

 

I DO like your idea of having a sort of make up session! I mentioned to the parents (well, the one kid who I referred to in the original post didn't even bother to show up to the Bridging ceremony) who were there that they sure could keep working on it over the summer, and I'd gladly award the Badge at our kick-off in August.

 

But I may just call them and offer to do a Saturday -- that's a fab idea! Thanks. :0)

 

Edit: Ever see "The Incredibles"? Mom says, "Everyone is special, Dash." To which Dash answers, "Which is another way of saying no one is."(This message has been edited by annlaurelb)

[Snow_White]

With all due respect,Fehler,I have to disagree with some of your points.

 

Holding make-up sessions and providing extra help is admirable, and shows what a caring leader you are. However, I don't see not awarding a badge when a scout has not completed the requirements as "penalizing" the scout. And telling them that you'll expect better adherence to the requirements as they progress through the ranks strikes me as a bit silly as well; after all, you've already shown them that you don't really expect that much from them. Besides,the actual requirements get more challenging and involved as they progress, so the expectations are already designed to be higher at each level.

 

In my opinion, "Do your best" should be applied to each task. If the task is to make a poster about the topic, then each boy does his best and there is no judgment as to whether the completed poster is good enough or not. However, "I did my best to get to the meeting but Dad didn't bring me" does not count as doing your best to complete your poster! "I did my best with the Wolf requirements" even though only 6 of the 12 are completed should not get you the Wolf Badge.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

What Ann, and Snow said.

 

The criteria in Cub Scouts is "Do Your Best".

 

From the BSA National Web site -

 

"To do my best

 

Giving your best effort is right and honest. Always remember that your best is not the same as someone else's best. Doing the best you can is more important than trying to be better than someone else."

 

However that does not mean that you get a pass if you do nothing at all. Not even trying to do something is no one's "best".

 

One of the purposes of Cub Scouting is Character Development. How are you developing good character in a boy when you give him awards that he did not earn? How is that right, or honest?

 

I have had Scouts who did not earn their rank award. I have never had a boy drop out of Cub Scouts because he failed to earn it.

 

[qwazse]

Also, a wolf patch is not an end in itself. It's better to tell a boy he did not earn it, but he'll have a chance to earn bear in his next den.

 

Who knows? For some boys the memory of not completing Wolf would be just what they need to nail down those Arrow of Light requirements.

[CCbytrickery]

This year, we had some..issues..getting some of the Tiger stuff done. We had to improvise. Not making a mobile, but...we'll make a family tree with leaves and all. Not going to discuss milk types, but...the boys made ice cream, one milk and one with a soy base. As long as they tried, they got signed off on. But they had to attend or make up the requirement with their parent on their own.

As long as they tried their best, they succeeded. At least in my book.

 

as a pack:

We have the boys earn their badges during the year, and present them after the Webelos 2 bridge over. The Bears and Wolves get their badges in one pack meeting, and the Tigers in another (anyone earning Bobcat does so during the year, at the pack meetings). If they've earned it, they get it; if not, they can try to get it over the summer. If they don't try to finish it, they just move up come the fall, and don't get their badge.

 

At the beginning of the next year, in the fall, our first meeting starts with the "moving up" into the next level of scouting. We do a big potluck, all families are invited. The Bears move up to Webelos, etc (officially, even though they've started being that level over the summer). That way, all the new boys who join are welcomed into that level along with all the old boys.

 

They cannot wear the new hats or sliders until they "level up" that fall. It gives the parents 3 months to try to upgrade the uniform, new book, etc. Makes it a bit easier if you can get those things in July, and only have to worry about school clothes and supplies come August, kwim?

 

 

[momof2cubs]

Our district considers them "graduated" at the end of the school year. Mainly for two practical reasons:

1. to give the webs one more summer to work on their pins (since most packs cross over in march of the web II year to boy scouts)

2. due to summer day camp. In summer day camp they work on (among many other fun things of course) the next rank.(This message has been edited by momof2cubs)