University of Scouting

[OldGreyEagle]

Saturday was the Council's University of Scouting for this year. We had over 320 registered participants and a few walk-ins. It was held at a local community college and the place was ours for the day. It was great

[moxieman]

Ours (link: http://www.pinetreebsa.org/university/index.html) is next month, a bit late this year. Like your we'll have the run of a local community college.

 

I was invited to attend the one in CT Rivers Council this weekend, but couldn't work the 6 hour each-way drive into my work schedule.

[jmwalston]

Our Council (Central NC) does not have an University of Scouting, just the Cub Scouter Pow Wow and College of Commissioner Science. Looking at the Pine Tree Council's set up, I would love to have something like this for ours.

[bkale]

NCAC (Capital Area) had their UoS on 23 Feb 2008.

 

Approx 600 leaders. Great classes and tons of war stories. Only thing I would have changed is to have a lot more of the info available for download or on CD for after the event.. makes it easier to pass on to other leaders in the Pack.

[Eagle732]

I attended U of S last Sat. too, it was my 5th time attennding and as usual it was a great program. I like the mix of classes available and that there are new and different courses each year. Thanks to the dedicated staff who put on the program.

[Argyle]

On that note...

 

Would anyone have any interest in attending a Sea Scouter's College in the Midwest? No pins or knots handed out, but plenty of high-speed, low-drag advanced subject matter, plenty of courses to give you a boost as you just start out, and good old comeraderie and fellowship with a Sea Scout flavor.

 

Who would be interested?

 

Also, those that have attended Scouter Colleges and Universities of Scouting, what did you really like/dislike? What got you pumped and ready to go back for more?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Lisabob]

The Midwest is a big area. Where did you have in mind? We had a couple of folks attend Sea Badge in our council last summer and perhaps they'd be interested. I'll certainly pass on any info that you have to them.

 

What I like/don't like about UoS:

1) I like classes where the presenter(s) had prepared well in advance and had some hands-on things to do/try and take back to the unit.

 

2) I like classes where leaders can try new skills or develop existing skills. It is one thing to offer a class on how to TEACH knots (or fill in skill X here). It is another thing to offer a class on how to tie knots to start with, along with why and when to use them. Lots of adult leaders these days don't have those basic skills if they weren't boy scouts as youth, themselves.

 

3) I like classes where interaction among participants/presenters is built in, rather than "sit and listen while I expound" types of courses.

 

4) I also like classes where an outside resource that many units wouldn't have access to is brought in. For example we had a class on working with scouts with emotional/behavioral disorders where several experts came in to talk with us. Very, very helpful.

 

4) I DON'T like paying big registration fees and driving to the far end of the council to attend an event that isn't well organized, where classes are either canceled without warning or are over-stuffed with more people than the instructor expected, or where the instructors were pulled in off the street the night before and therefore aren't prepared. Please don't waste people's time.

 

5) As a cub leader, I didn't like having some classes taught be people who hadn't been affiliated with the cub program in a long time and weren't current on updated program aspects. They tended to give wrong or outdated info, and also to be adamant that it was right/current. I've heard Venturing people say the same thing on their end. Choose your instructors with care and an eye toward competence, not toward filling gaps with warm bodies.

 

6) I didn't like classes that were supposed to help build skill in some hands-on manner, but instead were all lecture format ("watch me do this" or "listen to me tell you how to do this," rather than "try this yourself.")

 

One more thing is that I'd rather have classes that take 2 or even 3 hours and really have a chance to do/try/learn, rather than have a whole bunch of 45 minute classes where there's not time to do justice to the skill or material in question. Short classes are ok for some things but there seems to be a temptation to squeeze everything in to an hour or less which becomes counter-productive. (Dutch oven cooking, for example!) This is where I found the "watch me while I do this" instructional mentality taking over.

 

 

 

[infoscouter]

The spring semester of our University of scouting is coming up in April

http://training.nsbsa.org/info/UniversityOfScouting.aspx

 

Yes - we hold this twice a year, but we have over 24,000 adult leaders registered, so the training committee feels the need to offer many opportunities.

 

My quibble? they offer basic training at this event. I don't think this is the right venue.

 

What I'm proud of? You'll notice we're offering courses entirely in Spanish. This is the second semester doing this.

 

I'm doing my best to be well prepared for the courses I'm teaching (one in the College of Commissioner Science and one in the Cub Scout PowWow). I hope to fit in attending at least one course as well.

[Gold Winger]

"What I'm proud of? You'll notice we're offering courses entirely in Spanish. "

 

Do you offer them in German, Hungarian, Mandarin, or Swedish?

[Argyle]

Thanks for the replies....good stuff. Knot tying for example. I use all the Apprentice required knots everytime I take my boat out. Cleat Hitchs for the bow, stern, and spring lines, and halyards. I use a bowline on my topping lift, a reef knot (square) to put a reef in the main, half hitches for my fenders, a clove and midshipmens hitch (taut-line) for my auto pilot, and I'll use a figure eight or overhand knot to stop sheets from flying out of the blocks. What a great way to learn the art of knot tying. The youth will learn them and never forget them. So, with all the comments above, why not incorporate the above with an advanced knot tying course.....and of course throw in a monkey's fist and turk's head.

[SctDad]

jmwalston

 

I will see if we have anything like that coming up here in eastern NC.

 

I am still waiting on some other training.

[Scouter&mom]

All I can say is WOW!!! Our very small council, will not do anything but basic leader courses during its annual University of Scouting during early fall. Everyone sits through New Leader Essentials (unless you show up late for the day) then they do age level training.. SM/ASM, Commissioner training or Den Leader specific. And then they wonder why no one bothers to come. I have been a registered leader for 5 years and been to several age trainings. Cub Scout Pow-Wow is on a different day and they do teach supplemental classes there, no basic training.

 

My big complaint.. Is set the date and get the info out to the masses as soon as possible. Don't wait until the last minute to let everyone know what is going on. Let me know the classes are worth my while and give me time to schedule them.

 

I recently went to another councils University of Scouting and had a wonderful time. Learned lots. One course was on Outdoor First Aid, was taught by an ER doc and Professor of ER medicine, who just happened to be an outdoorsman and dad to a Tiger in the council. His information was relevant to areas in the council, including at Council camp. Another was a show of gadgets... a backpacker SM and a car-camping SM showed off their toys. -- backpack stove vs All the coleman cooking goodies, Great to have opinions of people that have used them.