Wood Badge Experiences

[trainerlady]

Just finished my first weekend of WB. We were subjected to endless hours in our camp's dining hall. Only a couple of fresh air breaks each day. Ususally for a quick game or a patrol meeting under a dining fly a few feet from the hall while sitting on a picnic table again, just like the ones indoors. The experience was terrible. I found myself driving the 80 miles home last night thinking why did I waste my time, money and inconvience my family for this course.

 

I have 30+ years of teaching experience in various settings - several different sports, college level courses, CPR and swimming courses. I've been using EDGE in one form or another for my entire career. Despite our instrcutors comments, this is not a new concept. See one, do one, teach one has been a staple of medical education for centuries. It's how most things are taught.

 

I have also done LNT classes locally and at PTC. I could have done a better presentation than what we got. I had seen October Sky twice before this class (good flick, but not in a sunlit dining hall). I did learn a couple of cool tidbits about BP and after much frustration got my woggle made. Technical gliches and poor speakers plagued the course. The rockets were the best part.

 

I realize that not everyone comes to the table with the same background and experiences. But knowing what I know now about WB, I can't recommend it to many of my friends (they are teachers in various subjects with 25-35 years of experience).

 

Our instructors have decided that they want us to have a backpacking experience not a camping experience. One cooler limit, prefer no coolers, no equipment drop offs, you gotta carry it in. Smallest tents possible, comfort be damned. No camp stoves, fires and backpacking stoves only. This is not a way to convinvce us Cub leaders to keep on going in the program. Nor is iti a way to get new leaders to come to the course.

 

If WB wasn't so %^&^$# secretive maybe more people would sign up and the right people could take the class. Right now I think I'm 10-15 years too late for what i wanted out of the class. I'm not seeing this as a pinnicale in my Scouting education or a life changing experience. So far it's been an exercise in boredom, exhaustion and financial loss.

 

Not sure if I'll be bothered going back. Too many hassles setting up kid care and 5-6 other events that weekend that sound a whole lot more appealing. This is not what I signed up for, nor am I getting out of it what I wanted. I wanted a deeper understanding of Scouting and it's processes and procedures. I wanted to learn/build my outdoor skills. WB isn't the place fo that.

[Eamonn]

trainerlady

I'm saddened to hear that you are not enjoying the course.

It really is a shame.

But with all the information that is available, I really no longer believe that the course is in any way secretive.

I also would have thought that by now everyone knew that the course was a Leadership course, not a course about outdoor skills?

I wonder if maybe you are comparing the course that the Council put on to the PTC?

 

I haven't been around the course for a few years, I know that some changes were made. But the syllabus I have printed in 2001 lists the timetable for each day with breaks every hour. Sure they are only ten minute breaks. But some presentations end early!

 

Eamonn.

 

[Oak Tree]

That is too bad. My course was spent mostly in a dining hall, but the speakers were great. Sure, a lot of us have had some of the leadership stuff before, either in corporate presentations or in military training (a lot of both in our council). But that didn't stop us from having a lot of fun and getting what we could out of the course. It was easily the best taught course I've taken in Scouting.

 

The first member of my patrol got his beads tonight - about one year after the course. Three of us also attended. We've stayed in touch via email, primarily.

[GKlose]

I just got back last night from the 1st weekend of a 2-weekend offering. The next one is about a month from now.

 

I'm still tired, but it was mostly a good experience. My patrol is looking forward to our tasks at hand and meeting again soon, and working through our projects for the second weekend.

 

Yes, we had a "Gilwell Hall" too, and we spent a bit of time there. At first, I wasn't so hot on the idea of watching "the movie" for the 8th or 9th time (and I think it is a great movie; one of my favorites), but this time around I took advantage of the suggestion to watch it from the team-growth aspect we were asked to watch it from, and I enjoyed the discussion afterward where some others picked up on some themes that I hadn't noticed before (I'm trying not to give away too much right now).

 

On the other hand, I felt like we spent more time in our patrol areas than any place else. I enjoyed meeting and working with them, and I wished we could have spent another couple of hours in the "Who Me" game.

 

There was also a game held at Gilwell Hall (WBers will know what I'm talking about) that really irritated some patrols and troop members. I know it was designed to do that, and after about a half hour, coupled with the idea that I was very tired, I got irritated too, but I couldn't really put a finger on it. When I had a somewhat overbearing ASM suggesting to me that I pick up my energy level, I think I probably gave him one of those looks that a petulant teen gives an overbearing parent. I think someone walked out, and there was a rumor the next morning that someone left the course overnight, but that rumor later proved inaccurate (the course member wasn't able to get off work that day). One person, a district training chair in real life, gave an earful to the course director how "that game" is not what the BSA preaches (about positive messages and reinforcement).

 

Other than that, honestly my least favorite parts were the lectures in Gilwell Hall. We had a string of rather weak presenters I think. Whenever we were dismissed from the hall, I felt relief that we could get back to work and having fun in our patrol area.

 

Guy

[GKlose]

Just another couple of quick experiences: I wasn't really sure about my troop guide, from the first meeting, but over the course of the weekend I realized that he was really growing on us. He's a first-timer in his role, just like we are, and I think all of us started to enjoy growing together.

 

From the start, almost, there was pressure (I thought) to start thinking about tickets. On the other hand, I don't think we really were provided much guidance in either developing our own vision, or about turning goals into ticket items. I finally talked to another couple of troop guides, both of whom I know from previous projects. They were both very helpful, without overstepping, I think. The combination of all three helped me focus a little more, which has helped.

 

My troop guide suggested that we'd probably lay awake at night, thinking about tickets, and you know what? First night at home -- early this morning -- he was absolutely right! When I got up, I organized some thoughts on paper, and I have what I think is a good start on four out of five items. I'll write them up, and present them to him as a first draft. I'm very pleased about that.

 

Another thought about our weekend: overall, I think it was a polite bunch. There wasn't much in the way of inter-patrol rivalry going on. But that didn't stop me from attempting to instigate some. :-) A couple of patrol flags that had been left unattended found themselves being relocated. Not in a mean way, just relocated to a nearby, less visible place. They were quickly found :-). At a troop assembly, a member of the Buffalo Patrol was getting a little too "flowery" with a description of one of their projects, so I stepped forward and suggested that maybe the Buffaloes were spreading a little too much fertilizer, and that got a big laugh. But ultimately, it didn't go anywhere. I won't push it (too much) if everyone else doesn't want things to go that direction.

 

Guy

(Owl Patrol -- who would have dominated "Scout Jeopardy" if it weren't for the one Venturer in the troop -- he ran the category in both rounds, and beat us by a couple hundred points)

[Eagle92]

M2E,

How's the quest for Venturing photos coming along? I bet if you PM Emb021, he'ld be a wealth of info as he is the resident "PRO FROM DOVER" on Venturing.

[trainerlady]

GK - glad you're having fun with your course. Wish we had gotten past the first round of Jeopardy, but one of the dozen or so technical glitches ended the game after just 1 round. The movie for us was one glitch after another. The main scene of importance was lost due to yet another glitch. Perhaps relying on computers for everything in a camp setting isn't a wise programming move.

 

Eamonn - I hadn't really thought about searching out the cirriculum on the web before class. In my council WB is held as some great secret sacred experience. Just hearing them discussing the WB reunion breakfasts and events, the singing of "Back to Gilwell" as if were a sacred hymn. I jokingly told a 4 beader (from the earlier course) that if I heard that song again I thought my head would explode.Then I got a 10 minute lecture (while at work)about how special it was to be in WB and be greatful for the opportunity. No one including current and past staffers of the event will tell you anything about the course. It's as if you'll be de-beaded for telling about the class. "What happens at WB stays at WB" was one of the first comments made to our class. It was restated over and over again. "Your friends and family just won't understand" was the line that followed. Our council always has problems filling their courses and this economy hasn't helped. I can now see why.

 

I spoke with several of my classmates today, only one in my patrol. Also with one of the QM's too. Got a lot off my chest and feel a bit better. Still think I'm wasting my time,but at least the QM assured me that the next session will be minimal butt time.

 

One of my classmates pretty much summed his and I guess my motives to some point for taking the class. Acceptance by the Scouting world of our existance and brains. In our coucnil you are considered to know nothing until you have least 2 beads. Once you get 2 beads you're worth listening to. 3 beads gets you really good credibility and 4 beads you're a God to scouting. Just ask the grey haired, or n haired 4 beaders and they tell you so.

 

If nothing else the conservation project next session will count toward my A Year of Celebration ribbons. Trying to make lemonade out of the lemons.

[RandyPrice]

I finished my second weekend of WB last weekend (days 4-6). The second weekend is an outdoor experience. We Beavers had a really good patrol and all got along very well. I enjoyed the 2nd weekend much more than the first. I also thought the ticket review/approval was much easier than I feared. Now to get them all completed.