Test Out Option for Intro to Outdoor Skills

[TNScoutTroop]

Eagle92, you have our apologies for having hijacked the thread. The IOLS info you (and others) provided is invaluable, and where our immediate interest lies.

 

TN Scout Troop

[Eagle92]

TN,

No problems whatsover. this is a 'virtual campfire" and I am one of those who can start at one point in a conversation, and take it in a different direction in about 20 minutes.

[Crew21_Adv]

Eagle92,

 

Thanks for posting this. I've never seen it before.

 

After years of SMF, then moving onto NLE, Specifics and IOLS. I have met a few Scouters whom had the experience and skills to demonstrate Scout thru First Class.

 

But I never seen an exemption like that before. It may have been printed, but I've never see an allowance for testing out.

 

Without knowledge of being able to exempt learners. I told all Scouters, they needed to attend IOLS, regardless of their camping ability.

 

I've told friends that IOLS is not to teach a Scouter how to camp. But it is to teach adult Scouters how to take Scouts out camping safely. And have them (young Scouts) to demonstrate the skills.

 

Thanks for the repost Eagle92.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[moosetracker]

Kudu The statement "living in the past" is NOT a prejudicial way to ridicule. I would state that the Amish are people who are living in the past. I am not ridiculing them. In fact I admire them, but could not live like them.

Bucking the system is not all so bad either as long as you dont take it to an extreme. It is fine to a point.. But only to a point. If the boys enjoy the program and you are fair to everyone, and you do not add to the requirements for rank advancement, only do things that ensure the requirements are truly met that all the boys are equally judged upon.

I do not know about your troop and its bucking the system if it has gone to feeling it is elite to the point of picking & choosing your scouts. I fear TNScoutTroop is organizing for a bucking the system where they are already planning to discourage transfers, and are unsure how to let people from outside their church in with a good screening to see if they have the right mindset. This is a start of a very slippery slope, that can easily turn into a bucking the system where the wrong kind of kids that join even though discouraged not to, are then encouraged to leave by not treating them unfairly, like pushing harder than required advancement goals onto those kids, or setting up a pass/fail board where those who fail are more apt to be those they dont want in the troop anyway, or having subgroups where their quality scouts can join, and the sub-scouts cannot.

You may be following some rules, there may be some book somewhere that state these rules are still in effect. But my state also still has rules on its books that state you can be arrested for spitting on the sidewalk. All margarine sold must be dyed pink, and it is illegal to look up when sitting on the toilet on a Sunday (who was enforcing that law I do not know.).. Anyway those not following those rules today can still be arrested because the laws are on the books to this day.

So many troops follow what the current council has put out in writing, and have been taught in training. Because they are not following the rules you wish to follow, but are following the BSA rules that are in current print. Does not make you wrong, but also does not make them wrong either.

 

I also think if it is something required for re-chartering today, then it should be required for all units, regardless of if you are a troop who follow the rules of 1912, or the rules of 2010. I am sure the Amish still abide by the Federal & state laws. Maybe that is not true, but YPT was not around in 1912.. It should be part of your program.

 

What will make you wrong is if you start to believe you are elite enough pick & choose your scouts and make judgment calls on who is Eagle material and who is not, then make the Eagle rank attainable to those you think should have it and unattainable to those you think should not. That type of bucking the system is just not right.

 

[moosetracker]

Sorry if last post, doesn't make sense here. It was posted incorrectly here. It was meant to go into ..good Middle School lousy HS.. but it does involve one comment made by TNScouterTroop, (which is how I ended up incorrectly in this tread.) So that piece pertains to this thread.

[BartHumphries]

Thanks, JFL49. I'm just reposting your links so that it'll be easier for me to find later -- I tend to look for those things at the end of a discussion, not at the beginning.

 

He said:

Our Council implemented this a while ago, as described here:

http://www.ctyankee.org/program/training/basic/smtraining

 

We developed a Self Evaluation Form, basically a reprint from the syllabus:

http://www.ctyankee.org/fs/page/001478/introoutdoorskillssignoffse20080420.pdf

 

We also developed a Sign Off Sheet, again from the syllabus:

http://www.ctyankee.org/fs/page/001478/introoutdoorskillssignoffpr20080420.pdf

 

We also offer IOLS at summer camp, although soliciting instructors is sometimes a challenge.

[moosetracker]

Sorry Bart. I may kill your links at the end.. But, since this was restarted. Is there any test out for OWLS which is almost identical to IOLS. Or is that not available for OWL because it is not a required course.

[Eagle92]

Moose,

Noen that I know of, but I've been told that many councils just send their WDLs to IOLS instead, or offer a combined course with break out sessions specific to the different leaders.

 

That said, I was told by a DE that since I did SM Fundamentals back in the day, as well as help teach IOLS, I would not need to take WeLOT.