What is WB all about?

[Gonzo1]

CeeJayRocker, Welcome.

That's half the problem.

In my opinion, WB should not have been changed, but rather kept the same and have new a course formed if BSA wanted to focus on the management stuff.

 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I don't WB was broke.

Maybe Scoutmaster Fundamentals would have been a good course for the management, or New Leader Essentials, or expanding Fast Start.

 

[SueM]

What is missing from this whole discussion and perhaps should have been there from the start is a real discussion of the skills taught at WB..skills that not only are useful in a scouting setting but also in everyday life! I know that many of the participants who come through the course say "You know..I've been through all this in the military (or work or whatever) courses a hundred times!" but they always come away with a new perspective on things, since it does revolve specifically around the scouting program.

 

So..what does it teach?...Which is more of what the original question asked!

 

Listening to learn..who doesn't need improve their abilities to listen to others more effectively?...especially when dealing with scouts!!

 

Team building...What are dens/patrols/crews but teams?? The more we can help them understand this, the more effective they'll be.

 

Communication...who can't use better communication skills in all areas of their lives?

 

Managing Conflict...ditto..it gives you a number of different approaches to use, whether you're dealing with adults or scouts..or that annoying person who you work with every day!

 

The Teaching and Leading "EDGE"...how to use Explain/Demonstrate/Guide/Enable to help your scouts learn and teach other scouts.

 

It also teaches how to use the diversity in your pack/troop/crew to the benefit of all..what diversity really means, etc.

 

Now..how can learning those things NOT be a benefit to even a new Tiger leader?

 

It also and probably most importantly challenges you to look deep inside yourself set, reach for and achieve goals in life..whether inside of or outside of scouting. You start to look for your Vision in other areas of your life too. You start the course by asking yourself "Where do I see myself in Scouting in 2 years??"

 

So, I do respect Gonzo1 for his own opinion..and ask others to do that also...he's entitled to express his own opinions even if many of us disagree with it. I would also ask him though to also respect that for many, many, perhaps the vast majority of us, WB is..or has been..a life changing "mountain top" experience!! I have seen it turn ho-hum adult leaders into enthusiastic, driven and dedicated leaders within a weekend!

 

This is all based on proven corporate leadership concepts!...which many people pay thousands of dollars to attend in the civilian world! WB gives EVERYONE the opportunity to do it at a very minimal cost..and have fun as well as greatly expanding your Scouting network in the process!!

 

Down off my soapbox for now!!

 

Sue M.

 

 

[ladyleader]

CJ Rocker hit the nail on the head......WB is not solely about scouting skills; it is about leadership. Although I'm a fairly new DL, I've already implemented positive change in our pack. I've got the drive to be the best leader I can be. I'm not even thinking about "the beads" and the impression they give. My leadership style should leave the impression I want to make.

 

My council offers the program in Aug. of 2007 and then again in 2010. If I wait until 2010, I'll already be in BS. As someone said earlier, I need to make the most progress at the cub level, where I feel it is needed most.

 

By the time the program starts next year, I'll be handing over popcorn kernel duties to someone else (already have him signed up!) and my husband will co-lead the Bear den with me next year. So I feel I will be able to focus on my training. I still need to speak with my Dist. Exec. about my ticket items. He tells me that I'm supposed to be registered in all positions that I hold in scouting. So far I'm only registered as DL. So I've got a few things to straighten out, but I think I'm going for it. Heck, I can take some more outdoor skills training while I'm waiting.

 

 

[Gonzo1]

SueM,

Point taken.

WB was a life changing experience for me too (I used to be an Eagle). BTW, we should always be looking for "new ticket item" by identifying the things that need our attention and work on them. IMO, it never ends.

 

LadyLeader,

It's too bad your council only offers WB on such a limited schedule, our council is having 2 courses this year. ou can always go out of council. When I attended, there was a whole patrol from out of state. Enjoy your course, take notes, don't worry about your ticket, your DE shouldn't be involved, it's up to you. Your Coach/Counsellor and/or Troop Guide will help you. Most of all, the opinions expressed here belong to the poster, nothing is intended to be personal and I wish you the best of success in all of your Scouting activites.

 

Gonzo

[nldscout]

Gonzo

"I'm an Eagle, been ASM, SM, ASM again, Unit Commissioner, WDL. I served for 24 years in the military both enlisted and officer and was an Aide to a Brigadier General and I was an Executive Officer of a surgical unit in an Army hospital. The point is...... I know how to lead people.

 

No offense personally to any of you, especially Brent, SueM and LadyLeader (even Fuzzy, Merlyn, etc......) I'm not sure what more I could gain."

 

How about maybe you could learn some people skills, or politness, or maybe the meaning of the scout oath and laws.

[Gonzo1]

Wow, I guess it's cut and paste and gang up on Gonzo Day!!!

 

Let me clear this up. I have not attacked anyone personally, professionaly or called anyone any names. I have not attacked you or started threads with your name in the title.

I haven't called anyone rude or impolite.

 

Some of you have suggested (and invited me) that I attend WB again. i attended already. I've been to several 'corporate' leadership and management courses. I retired as an Army Captain. The thing about military leadership is that it's not about the yelling, it's about the leading. I currently serve as WDL and UC. I also was just on staff for a Boy Scout Leader Outdoor Skills training course for our district.

 

NLDScout:

You wrote: "How about maybe you could learn some people skills, or politness, or maybe the meaning of the scout oath and laws." Umm, let's see, My people skills are fine, the people I know and love like me and love me. I kill people with kindness. I know that from time to time I can be abrasive. The typed word does not allow for tone and inflection, let alone facial expressions. I'm basically a nice, soft spoken guy. Politeness? I haven't called anyone any names or anything. Just because I disagree with you (or anyone else) doesn't make me a monster. I have told the truth, my opinions are mine, I'm loyal to the scouts and the members here and Scouter.com in general, I help others but offering suggestions and asking questions that stimulate debate? Shall I run down the other 9 for you? I'm friendly, I welcome new members on the forum, I'm courteous by saying that things are my opinion, not the way it ought to be or 'my way or the highway'. Kind, see above, Obedient - hasn't applied here yet, Cheerful, well, I'm smiling as I type tis message to you. I'll stop here, I hope you get the idea, I do live the stuff.

 

Have a nice day

Gonzo

 

 

[Gonzo1]

Accidently posted twice, duplicate removed.(This message has been edited by Gonzo1)

[Fuzzy Bear]

I took the old WB course in 82. I never got the idea that I was totally trained. I knew that working ones ticket resulted in getting your beads and I later discovered the tickets one worked after that was where the real leadership began. I also was invited to serve on staff which was a great highlight. One of my desires was to return to WB and do it all over because of the many benefits and life changes. I didnt expect there to be a new one developed so that I could actually do it. I will now be able to experience it again under the new system in a year or two. I intend on putting more personal writing time on this next one. I failed to document much of what I did the first round. I still have many good memories of it. I am happy to know that changes were made and it looks like some things will be familiar. I am looking forward to the best that Scouting has to offer. fb

[Vicki]

Will wrote: "One thing of note is that you have to be trained in your primary position, and your ticket is written for that position."

 

While this is generally true, it's very dependent on how your course director and troop guide see it. My ticket had a couple of items that, strictly speaking, weren't directly related to my primary position because I was wearing a couple of different hats at the time.

 

And yes, it was a mountaintop experience for me. Not for everybody in our troop, or even our patrol, but it was for me. Even having had several corporate management courses and a lot of OTJ, backpacking, etc. Also, staff did a pretty good job of setting up our patrols so those of us with a lot of experience (and not necessarily just scouting experience) balanced out those who didn't.

 

Vicki (used ta be a Bear)

[ladyleader]

Who actually ends up being your WB counselor to help you with your ticket? Do you choose them or are they selected from the group of WB guides/trainers for you? The reason why I mentioned that I'd contact my Dist. Exec is that he's a friend of mine and has completed the course already.

[Vicki]

ladyleader, you can choose to attend WB. You are assigned your critter, your patrol and your Troop Guide. Your Troop Guide is the person who will help you craft and implement your ticket and will decide if you've completed your ticket to WB standards.

 

Vicki

 

 

[Cubmaster Randy]

When you go to WB, you will be assigned a troop guide. In most instances, he/she will also serve as your ticket counselor.

The ticket processs will be explained the first couple of days of the course.

Before you go, they will give you a list of questions that you should answer to help you think about what you do and where you want to go. Nobody is going to look at them unless you want to show . You could talk with your friend for guidance and support, but it is your ticket based on your vision

[SueM]

It depends on your course and your Course Director how Ticket Counselors are done..Our council is probably 150 miles across so participants came from all over. We only had about 35 participants so around the 5 day, they passed a list around and we were asked to choose 2 participants from the list to counsel...by the time it got to me, there was only one left from my patrol or area! This spread out the work and also gave you a chance to choose someone closer to home to follow. Other courses may do it differently. As Troop Guides though, we offered our ideas to any participant who asked. We rotated through sharing meals with the various patrols every day, so it gave us a chance to talk with them and get to know them all better. Many times it helped them by getting a larger number of ideas and perspectives. Sometimes we'd also sit down in numbers with a particular participant who was having a hard time coming up with ideas. Anyway..it's your Troop Guide's job to approve your ticket items. Items should, but don't necessarily -need- to be formed around your registered position. When I did mine..none of them ended up being for that position because I knew that I was going to change positions and I wrote them around the new position. Many of these participants were also "Multiple" registration positions, so they had ticket items written accordingly.

 

Sue M.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

To Vicki and Eager Beaver Staffer SueM

 

In my course we were challenged to look at where we were and where we wanted to go as Scouters in developing our tickets. I think that's why we the ticket writing becomes so intensely personal.

 

Sue, in my cycle, our CD used the KISS method: TG was also our counselor, and saw us through, beginning to end.

 

To ladyleader: Time to take WB is always a challenge. Do not worry though, if this years cycle isn't a fit to your schedule. I suspect you will find there are other Councils, or clusters of Councils, offering woodbadge. For the sheer networking aspects, I strongly believe folks should take WB away from their home Council. I see Jack, Beth, Sue, Bill, Mark and Jeff anywhere from daily to monthly. Going outside that circle of friends gave me new insights, new perspectives, and new resources to draw upon.

[ladyleader]

Thanks for the advice, all of you. Each new thread has me thinking of something new about WB. I'm going to do it and I'll take in more outdoor skills training beforehand.