Looking Forward to Wood Badge

[LeCastor]

Perhaps it's because I'm a young Scouter who has just been chosen as Scoutmaster for my Troop, but I really look forward to taking all of the training courses offered to me by my council. I enjoyed the Scoutmaster specific training and the Intro. to Outdoor Leader Skills. And I look forward to taking the Wood Badge training next fall.

 

I have the Scoutmaster's Handbook 3rd Edition by Hillcourt and I've read both volumes. And I've read just about all of the Boy Scout Handbooks (BSA editions), including "Scouting for Boys." I tend to read as much as I can on a certain topic, as it helps me get a better grasp on the subject matter. However, I don't discount putting this reading knowledge into practice. I get to to that every week at the Troop meetings and again on our monthly outings.

 

WB21C might be a lot of business books and management training but that doesn't have to be bad. Sure, it's not like the WB that Kudu remembers. It's just different. It's six days of your life and $200 out of your bank account. For me, that's not too much to ask. For others it could be a lot. But the truth is that it's just another training program that you can take as a Scouter. You're bound to learn something along the way, right? You aren't forced to take it.

 

 

[Basementdweller]

Good luck

 

If you looking forward for an entire year to taking it, you will be disappointed.

 

The hype is simply hype

[MomToEli]

I thoroughly enjoyed WB21C when I took it two years ago. One of the members of my Patrol did not - viewed it as pretty much a total waste of time.

 

I enjoyed all aspects of it - except having to unload the car when I got back home, but then I never enjoy that part. :-)

 

I predict you will have a great time.

[moosetracker]

Go in with the right attitude, (which you seem to have) and (hopefully) a staff that follows the course syllabus.. You will get alot out of it and enjoy it..

 

It is not all classroom.. True lots of presentations, but also there is time for just pure fun and games with your patrol.. If the staff is good they will make it fun too..

[jrush]

Well, you certainly have the right attitude...everyone in my patrol learned something valuable at WB, from how to better provide scouting for youth with disabilities to which scouters are most accomplished at "winning" TGOL.(This message has been edited by jrush)

[OwntheNight]

Good Luck, and have a great time. This is your experience, enjoy it and learn from it.

[Shilue]

LeCastor,

Don't let the Negative Nellie's get you down. I took WB earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned a lot that is helping me out in my Scouting career, but also in my real life job. There's a lot of good information that is presented. If you go into it thinking that you're going to have fun and enjoy it, then you will. It's really a great program, obviously dependent on the staff, but also our personal attitude toward the course and Scouting.

 

[Scoutfish]

I am going to be taking Wb as soon as my council offeres it again, Supposed to be in the fall of 2012, but our council "go to for all things accurate" woman said it's possible that they may offer one in the spring.

 

Anyways, I am looking forward to it as well. I have heard nothing but great remarks from those who have taken it so far.

 

But I started thinking about somethinmg when I first read some of the replies in this thread and tyhe other one" "WB- is it worth it" or whatever it was called.

 

Anyways, it seem sthat Most ( not all) of the people who took WB-21C that didn't like it had also taken WB before that.

 

So, am am thinking about how last week, I watched a re-make of theb Ammityville Horror. I read the book way back when I was a kid, and it scared the bejeezus out of me..whixh made it great! I also watche John Carpenter's "The Thing" at 3 am while half aslep. That also scared me which also made it a great movie!

 

So watching the re-make of The AmmityVile Horror, I was so disapointed. In the original movie, the closest you ever came to seeing anythiung was a set of glowing eyes in a window, and a "sorta" face burned into the fireplace brick. But your imagination really got to you.

 

In the re-make, the spoecial effects were outstanding. Graphic, to te point and you didn't have to imagine anything at all. They even added alot of cool stuff about the history of the house.

 

But it sucked compared to the fist movie. The movie sucked compared to te book ( isn't that always the case?)

 

So, I do plan on watching the new version of "The Thing" as soon as it comes out on video. But I also realize it will not be as good as the first one.

 

Why?

 

Because it is not the first one!

 

I will bet the camera shots are better, the picture is cleaners and more clear, No doubt the special effects will be 1,000 times better and CGI will make the impossible - posible.

 

But it's not the first one I saw.

 

 

That make sense to anybody?

 

If you are taking WoodBadge for the very first time, you do not have anything to compare it to. But if you took it way back when...wel, te new version just isn't the old one. It might be better, it might be cleaner, it might be clearer....but it's not the old one.

 

NOw, not having taken WB..I also woder trhis: since it is leaders who are taking it and not all scouts in general...isn't safe to say that it should be more of a leadership clas tan a scout craft class? I mean, isn't scout craft something trhat should be learned in the woods, or while camping , or during troop activities? Isn't that something that is taught at a different place?

 

 

Okay, the best example I can think of is this: as a Firefighter, I was also an certified instructor for firefighting. But when I took my instructors class, that isn't where I learned about firefighting techniques. I didn't learn about chemical compositions, how to tie knots, what hoses were used for what situations at a fire.

 

It was assumed that I already knew how to do all that stuff and I already had the firefighting knowledge. Matter if fact, I was a lever III certified firefighter in the state of NC. It was as high as you could go. Level I was lowest certified rank, II was highest.

 

In order to teach Level I to others, you had to be at least a level II, To teach Level II you had to be a III. To teach II, you had to be a II and also have "X: amount of other various continuing education hours, other certifications, "x" number of hours of training, etc...

 

Anyways, the instructo class was about instructing, not about learning about firefighting.

 

Now, I notice that WB class requirements are that you MUST have taken basic leader training (This is Scouting,New Leader Essentials) and to be trained in your positions, and if you are on the troop level, Outdoor Leader Skills - which is also reccommended for all other positions.

It is alsorecogmended But could be a local thing) that you have at least 2 years experince before taking the class.

 

So, it seems to me that when you sign up for WB-21C..it is assumed that you already have knowledge in scoutcraft and all the other essential scouting stuff.

 

But, after a year or so of reading these threads..and seeing all the horror stories in packs and troops where leaders have no idea about what is supposed to be going on during pack or troop meetings, who don't understand how advancement is supposed to work, or other things like adults getting drunk at troop campouts....well...maybe the only thing lacking is the leadership and buisness side of traing.

 

Most of the leaders today have the practical scouting knowledge, but they don't have any idea when or how to lead. They do not know how to stand up and get tings going.

 

Good old boys clubs are running units in the ground? Why? Maybe they have no idea how to be leaders? Why? Cause all their best training stopped at rope tying, survival in the woods and swimming across a lake.

 

They might ba able to take a wet stick and a rock and create a 10 bonfire under the ocean, but they can't lead a troop 10 into the woods without all hhell breaking loose.

 

So, maybe WoodBadge has adapted to where scouting is at it's weakest?

 

I don't know..but it's a thought!

[Eagle92]

'Fish,

 

Good thoughts. My reply is based upon BA 22 and JLT, the youth versions of WB back in the day.

 

First off there were two versions of WB: Boy Scout Leader and Cub Scout Leader. There was briefly an Explorer WB, but it didn't last. By combining the two courses, information specific to programs seems to not be there. Grant you this is coming second hand.

 

Now from my observations. When you attended BA22 and JLT, just like the old WB, you were expected to have the basic scouting skills mastered by being First Class. These courses took it to the next level by giving you the opportunity to no only perfect them, but also teach them, and utilize them in your unit. So you basically lived the Patrol Method for the week, learning how a troop should operate. WB replicated that by letting the leader see how things should be through the eyes of a scout. I know when I worked for the Eckerd Foundation, they used this same approach in training.

 

Now the leadership and management classes were there. But they were also modeled how they could be applied in a patrol and troop environment. The lessons learned were applied, again giving you expereince on how to run the troop.

 

I admit I do not plan on taking WB21C anytime soon for a variety of reasons. Family commitments and money are the two biggest. Work is another and so are the other scouting commitments I have. But one reason is what one of my JLT staffers told me back in the day. JLT and WB were so similar, he didn't learn anything new from WB and recommend taking it after getting out of Scouting for a while and coming back in and in need of a refresher.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[Eagle92]

That last should read

 

But one reason is what one of my JLT staffers , who took WB about a month or so after JLT, told me back in the day. JLT and WB were so similar, he didn't learn anything new from WB and recommend taking it after I got out of Scouting for a while and came back in with my kids and in need of a refresher course.

 

All bold is edits. Sorry about that. I can remember vividly what was said, and also what was implied. This conversation took place while in college, when I thought I would be leaving Scouts for a while to join the military. Unfortunately that didn't happen, and I ended up being a DE. At least I met the wife while a DE

 

[Austinole]

I just got beaded. WB is a blast! I highly recommend it to anyone interested.

[Basementdweller]

it is all about the beads isn't it..........

[Austinole]

Not for me, beads are a symbol of where you are on your WB journey and a symbol of fellowship with those that travel the same path. It is what you make of it.

 

Go Owls!

[jrush]

Eagle, WB and JLT are still similar, and quite frankly, they should be. Why teach one theory of leadership and mentorship to the adult leaders and a different one to the teenage youth leaders?

[Readyman]

Austinole,

 

Congratulations! I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed your Wood Badge course, and I wish you well along your journey in Scouting.

 

Readyman