Is re-taking Wood Badge such a bad thing?

[eagle-pete]

The following post by John-In-KC is in response to concerns regarding the policy of having those who have not taken Wood Badge for the 21st Century to take the course before being able to staff it. This begs the question - Is it so bad to take Wood Badge over again?

 

Whatever happened to Tom Peter's management concept "Train and retrain constantly?"

 

Advantages to re-taking WB:

 

- New friends.

- Different perspectives

- Chance to revisit leadership skills

 

We all have to make choices; sometimes they are tough choices. Allocating time amongst family, work, and Scouting is one of those sets of choices.

 

To me, the two (silver) Beavers are asking for some cheese with their whine.

 

Life isn't always fair. Deal with it. Some, perhaps most of us may never get a chance to staff a WB cycle. Each course, 48 ideally enter, hopefully 48 leave, give service to Scouting, and get beaded. Is there room the next cycle for 48 Scouters to work staff? Don't think so.

 

If you had to take Wood Badge over again, would you?

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Wood Badge as a participant and if given the choice, I would not object to taking the course again. There are many benefits to re-taking any course. John notes just a few here.

 

Could I benefit, as a staffer, to re-take Wood Badge? Certainly. Especially if several years had passed since I was a participant.

 

For those who have been the "victim" of timing, why resent having to take Wood Badge for the 21st Century in order to staff it? We have one such individual in our council. He actually feels it was a bit of a stroke of luck. He took his old Wood Badge experience and brought it to the new course. It seems like such a waste to turn your back on what could be an incredible experience which very few will ever have.

 

Eagle Pete

[SR540Beaver]

Pete,

 

When you serve on staff, you begin attending staff development meetings about 9 months out prior to the course. During that time, you will see each presentation presented at those meetings. An old WB'er who has not been a participant in the new course will in effect see the whole course prior to serving on staff. As for the other elements such as working a ticket, networking, making new friends and bonding, they have done that on their course and thruout their tenure as scouters.

 

Other than that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with retaking the course. Some just find it insulting to be told that they must give up the beads they earned and re-earn them in order to staff just because the ciriculum has changed. They'll see it during staff development.

[eagle-pete]

SR540Beaver

 

I see what you mean. They'd have to pry my beads out of my cold dead hands.

 

Eagle Pete

[Gonzo1]

I don't think it's bad, I just think it's unnecessary.

There are many opportunities to re-train. sit in on YPT, New Leader Essentials, IOLS, Position specific training, etc.

 

Wanna meet new people? Become a commissioner, staff a camp-o-ree, etc.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I intend on retaking WB for the 21st century but I will keep the beads I have already earned. If I am required to return my beads before I take the new training, then retraining won't be a consideration. WB of the 21st century should simply choose to give out something other than beads. They would then have something new to offer everyone. To not change their offering is shortsighted, inconsiderate and demonstrates a lack of reasoning/thinking ability. fb

[John-in-KC]

On the subject of beads and the Gilwell taupe necker...

 

It's real simple. If you retake the course, leave them at home. Bottom line is this: You bought and paid for the necker, the slide, and the beads as part of the course fees. Not even a CD can break into your home and steal what is yours.

 

More importantly is making sure, by way of your DE, that Council does not purge your WB training record from your files on ScoutNet.

 

To answer the question: Downstream, if there's a fundamental change in the curriculum, or if I want to expand my network in different direction, yes, I'd take WB again.

[jr56]

When I took woodbadge the first time around and was never considered "good enough" to join the good old boys club and staff a course, what makes anybody thing that if I retake the course it would be any different. It would be the same old people running the show, and only letting in the individuals they feel are up to whatever imaginary standards they are applying.

[emb021]

Things have changed.

 

In the old days, it was very difficult to get on staff. Heck, this was by National policy. Councils had to jump thru a lot of hoops to get someone new on staff. Thus, many councils just didn't bother.

 

When 21st Century WB was rolled out, they set out to make some very radical changes in how WB was delivered (and the US was not alone in doing some of these things). When it came to staff selection & development, this lead to things like:

 

* once a course director, you are out and can't (except for very extreme reasons) be on staff or a course director again.

 

* courses are REQUIRED to have a percentage (1/3 or 1/4, can't recall) of NEW people on staff (ie, those who had NEVER been on staff. I can tell you this helped me be on staff after going thru WB 15 years prior, and expecting to be asked (because the attitude was you DIDN'T ask, you waited to be asked).

 

* staff development time is reduced. Staff Development is not even supposed to begin until about 90 days out. In the past, many courses started their staff development a year out, with monthly meetings, etc. While this may have lead to 'better' staff, it was also a big time committement that turned many away.

 

In my area, due to the fact that we are running MORE WB courses (1-2 a year in many councils, vs 1 every 2-3 years in 'my day'), and need NEW WBers on staff, those who can and WANT to be on staff have a much better chance to be on staff that it was 10-20 years ago.

 

[dancinfox]

I went to Cub Scout Trainers WB in 1993 and Boy Scout WB in 1995. I staffed my first WB course in 2002 and was CD in 2006. I feel some envey for those who have taken 21st Century WB, as I have watched them progress through scouting the last few years. I have always held WB in very high regards and was always proud to be a WB'er. Some of the people who took WB before 2002 seemed not to carry the spirt with them and the ones who have taken WB in 2002 and 2004 still have the spirit. They just didn't put it away when they got their beads. As a CD I had to have at least 1/3 new staff. I ended up with 42% new staff and 19% female. I wanted the female ratio to be higher, but had turndowns due to other commimtments. If I had never been on staff or directed a course and now had to retake the course, I would. What is learned on course is different from what I learned before, but it fits in with today's scouting, and that's important. To clarify one thing. If you are a prior 21st WB'er and want to take the new course, you don't give up your beads, you set them aside, which means if you were a three beader, you would set aside your beads, take the course, work a new ticket and earn new beads. After the course, if you wanted to start wearing the 3 beads again, you could. If you were asked to be on staff, you would earn your third bead again, and in the case of a CD, you would have to earn your third bead again, be a TG and hold one other position, such as SPL, ASM, Scribe, or QM and then you would earn your 4th bead. Also as a CD on 21st Century WB, you can never be a 21st Century CD again, but you can serve on staff again. needless to say, if your council uses your services, then there is a problem with WB and not having enough people to staff a course. But you can work on course as an Instructor or to help cook. I feel as a prior CD, my duty to WB is not over. I need to recurit as many people to take the course as I can. We can't keep this great course a secret.

Just my rambling thoughts.

David Harrison

Course Director

C-12-06

Fox C-CS-1-93

Fox C-15L-95

[SueM]

Fuzzy Bear,

 

You're not required to "give back" your beads...you are only asked not to wear them until your ticket is finished.

 

Sue M

[kevinpate]

my opinion about the change is simple ...

change happens. I thought about it back when I heard about it. The best course of action, for me anyway, was simply to add a new verse to the song and not fret much about it otherwise.

=======

I'll never be a staffer, good old or otherwise

I've not done 21st Century, my beads have prior ties

And though I'm old & feeble, I still can lend a hand

So I'm going to work my ticket, 'cause I can.

Back to Gilwell, Happy Land,

I'm going to work my ticket 'cause I can.

======

I greatly enjoyed SR-CS-10 and SR-417, just as I appreciate local RT's, my prior local training courses, and PTC conferences. It's all been good, every last drop of it. I've enjoyed far more what these experiences have enabled me to give back to Scouting in my local area and via my participation online.

 

For me, being ineligible for staff just means one avenue of service is not open to me. There are so many other avenues available though, I think I'll find an amply acceptable path all the same.

 

Kevin in Norman, America

[SR540Beaver]

Kevin,

 

Ah, another Last Frontier Council scouter from the great Sooner District. Welcome to the forums!!!

[Ms. Eagle 515]

A friend that just moved to Dallas sent me links to their Council web site. Check this out

http://www.circle10wb.org/

click the box to enter and then at the bottom of the page click "all ready a Wood Badger". There is a story on that page that I thought fit in to this forum pretty well and it was kind of inspiring actually whatever your personal stand may be.