Repeating requirements

[njdrt-rdr]

How do you folks handle repeating requirements. It seems the higher up in cubs, the more of an issue this becomes. Specifically at the Webelos level where the den leader is supposed to sign off that the scout has actually done the requirement. We had 3 of 5 kids attend a webelos woods campout and complete handyman and craftsman over the weekend. So how do the other kids get caught up and prove they did the requirement? Are we supposed to do it again as a den, are we supposed to tell the parents they are responsible to do it with the scout and how do I know that they actually did it?

Same thing with Aquanaut we have a couple that couldn't do it when we did it. We are going to a local health club with the other two to have them do the requirement.

Any suggestions?

 

[Tampa Turtle]

I often had kids repeating the requirements--its not like some of them could not use the practice if its is a safety issue.

 

I scheduled catch up sessions for some boys as needed. Sometimes the boys who had already done it would help teach the boy who needed it. This helped reinforce things for the boys who had already done the requirement and was more fun for all.

 

It is good to not instill the boys with "once and done"--a disease that seems to infect the boy scouts.

 

You can always have the other boys work on an alternate Webelos pin or a beltloop.

[Fehler]

Why do Handyman and Craftsman again, when you could do some of the other 20 pins, like Engineer or Traveler? Or find out exactly which of the requirements they did for those pins, and do other ones. Some boys built a birdhouse and fixed a bike? Fine, then build a tie rack and fix some roller skates. Its not like those two pins are required.

 

I found myself having to repeat myself much more at the Tiger-Wolf level, where it was all "do this". Bears got away from that with the choices from God, Country, Family, Self, and Webelos more so. The only pin I may need to repeat is Fitness and parts of Readyman and Citizen, since everything else is a "pick from list".

 

And our Council is having a "Webelos Pin Day" in December, so I'm going to suggest to the scouts that miss Fitness or Citizenship to go there to get caught up.

[Momleader]

This is such a sticky subject....in my experience. While you don't want to discourage some who can't make it to meetings or events because of various reasons (transportation or lack of parental support). Sometimes you drive others away because of trying to keep the group all together. That kind of remedial stuff makes some kids and their parents crazy because those kids often have to do everything twice and they get bored with scouting. But those that don't get rewarded even if they didn't do all the work feel bad about scouting and leave. We live in an age of everyone gets a trophy (makes me nuts).

 

I remeber this from a local training day 'Webelos is preparing them for Boy Scouts and earning a merit badge isn't all "do your best and try" - the important thing is to find a balance that works for your group. '

 

Could the kids who do stuff at home have their parents send you of a picture from their phone of the kid doing the requirement?

 

We get blowback about the belt loop options that are some requirements. Kids in our pack start earning lots of those as young scouts only to find out as Webelos they can't use them to fulfill pin requirements.....

[ScoutNut]

Neither Handyman, or Craftsman, are required badges.

 

There is no need to repeat them for the 2 boys who did not attend the Webelos Woods. Nor should you "require" the parents do them at home.

 

Find two other option badges the boys are interested in, and work on those.

 

If some boys miss out on one of the required badges (Fitness, Readyman, Citizen, Outdoorsman) you can simply do them again in different ways, doing different things to complete the requirements. This goes for requirements at younger levels also. At the Tiger/Wolf/Bear levels I also have greater flexibility. For instance, Tigers are supposed to do a "Go See It" to a sporting event. If need be, I allow watching a game on TV instead of going in person.

 

With Webelos, for badges that you have the boys do on their own, or for those badges that the boys want to do on their own, remember that you, as den leader, still need to approve their work. I suggest having the boys keep a 3-ring binder with their work in it. Pictures of completed stuff can be included, or if possible, ask them to bring in the things they have made. Have them document their work as completely as possible. Then have them come early, or stay after to go over their work with you.

 

If you approve an outside source to sign off on some awards, I suggest using the parents as little as possible. Parents can be allowed to sign off on things like Family Member, or Traveler, but use adults outside of the family as much as possible for other badges. Remember, this is preparing the Webelos to do merit badges.

 

(This message has been edited by ScoutNut)

[koolaidman]

The only things I would bother to repeat or schedule special "catch up" sessions for would be the 4 required activity badges.

 

With a requirement like Outdoorsman #2 where it can be a family or Webelos event, I'll sign off if the scout went on a family camping trip and can tell me about the activity.

 

I would suggest future alternatives for other requirements not tied to a particular activity badge.

 

With our 18 months of being a Webelos almost up and AOL crossover scheduled for December 15th. I still have a couple of scouts missing Readyman #7, one activity badge, and one scout missing a Webelos overnight or day hike. (though 5 campouts have been scheduled during this time).

 

We're having to schedule a special short day hike for one Webelos in the neighborhood only because we know it's the parents and not the scout causing the issue.

 

As for the missing activity badge. We've provided the parents with the web page address of the local museum that runs activity badge classes for Webelos.

 

We're currently spending the majority of our meetings visiting boy scout troops and I don't have much sympathy for those who couldn't make 1/2 the badges we've taught over the last 18 months.

[AKdenldr]

True boys become more distracted at this age with other activities. But, Webelos is an 18 month program. I found with my dens (8 boys each) that it was slower going with earning in the 4th grade year and then by the end it was like a snowball rolling down hill. In the end we could have gone for that heavy sholder thing.

 

Because even though I didn't intend it, all the partial little things we did as a den over that year and a half started to add up. Plus the scouts just became more capable as they grew.

 

I did do some catch up events outside of den meetings, but mostly around the required items. I did delegate to the parents (handyman, family member, and the faith piece.) Good advice on these boards about having the boy present his work to you for signoff.

 

I liked to think of the rank awards (wolf, bear, webelos, AOL) as meeting the minimum standards of participaton and accomplishment -- really the den/pack program should offer more than just one chance to do an activity and fun and rewarding activities that don't even fit a requirement. For example, camp more (a lot more) than twice in the Webelos years, go for more than one hike etc...

 

Summer camp helps quite a bit with achievements.

 

And, it is not a bad lesson in life for a boy to see the rest of the den be awarded for accomplishments they did not earn. Espcially if he made a different choice for his time.

 

Connect with your boyscout troops now. They may be offering something (like readyman) for your scouts to go to with their folks to take the pressure of the WDL.

 

Have fun. -- AK