PLC Chat?

[pamalam]

Hi all,

 

I have been reading the forum forever and have found many valuable insights and ideas. I thank all of you for being willing to share your knowledge and experience.

 

I was hoping that you would let me know how you feel about an idea that my son had. My son is SPL of a troop that is 3 months old. He and the rest of the PLC have a lot of things to decide on and work out in order to get the troop up to par. They have been having a 1 hour PLC meeting twice a month but they don't seem to be making much headway.

 

My son would like to toss out the idea of having a PLC chat. That way, all the boys on the PLC could log on, along with the SM and ASMs and they could make some decisions about the calendar, campouts, troop meetings etc.

 

This would not take the place of having at least one PLC meeting in person per month. However, it would serve to supplement those meetings.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks for your help,

Pamalam

[ASM514]

Here is an idea. To keep the chats private and away from wierdos you can go to www.everyone.net and set up a private forum that also includes a chat forum. After you set it up, you will be given a private web address (URL) that you give to all involved and chat your hearts out. I think it is an excellent idea!

[Eagledad]

Very Cool!

 

Barry

[acco40]

I believe that a "chat" could possibly augment a PLC meeting but not replace it. You lose so much online by not being able to read tone, voice inflection, body language, etc. We need to teach the boys how to deal with people. I also believe the "niceness" factor increases when in person vs. on-line (especially when on-line means anonymous).

[Scoutmaster Ron]

I would think that meeting face to face would be much better to relate ideas. I would think it would be difficult to control everyone's typing and keepint control. What is the PLC not making headway on?

[pamalam]

Thanks for the link and for all your input.

 

As for what the PLC is not making headway on...just about everything. They're moving forward on the troop calendar (the committee would like a year mapped out in advance so they can work out a budget), but troop meetings, campouts, summer camp plans, plans on how to help out the new scouts that are crossing over in the next months etc. are being planned at the last possible moment. A lot of the problem has to do with the fact that the boys in our troop all came from a troop that was as far from boy-led as you can get. Basically, the old troop was Cub Scouts for big kids. This is the first time that the boys are actually expected to get things done and the ASPL and PLs are having a hard time getting of their respective 'duffs'. The Scoutmaster is brand new and, although trained, still getting his feet wet. I'm not saying that my son is a saint, but he's really trying hard to get this troop off the ground.

 

He's 15 and still honing his leadership skills and trying to figure out how to get the other guys as 'pumped' as he is about getting everything planned. He's just so excited about this new troop and wants to make the program work well for all the boys. He figures, the sooner all the preliminary plans are made, the sooner they can get down to the business of working on skills and other 'good stuff'.

 

If they did the PLC chat they would discuss, mostly, plans for the upcoming meeting and possibly deligate some things that need to get done for upcoming campouts. Also, he could throw out ideas for the calendar and have the guys discuss the pros and cons of things like fundraisers, service projects etc.

 

Wow, I got awefully wordy! Thanks for your help,

Pamalam

[Eagledad]

All new troops go trough this. What the SM needs to do is cut the topics and goals in bit size chunks. For example, don't ask for a years worth of activities, start with six months. And don't just ask for a calender of program. Plan in small parts, one at a time. Every patrol and the adults get six ideas. Start with building a list for monthly program themes. The SPL ask for one idea from each group and write them on a board for all to see. he continues around each group until everyone has given their six. Then ask for campout themes. Once your finished with those, ask for for camp sites or locations. The reason for the adult having a turn is so they can prime the pump with ideas. Once you have the three list, the SPL then ask each scout to pick his six favoites. The scout should be encourage to walk around the list discussing them. When each feels ready, he puts a mark next to the their six favorites. After they are all through, count the votes and you have your program themes, camping theme and locations.

 

Next, put up calenders on the walls and have them pick which themes go to which months and where. When we went to breaking up the task, our Annual planning went from eights hours to three.

 

Also, scouts don't have the experience of adults, they must have some kind of guideline or agenda for their meetings. The SPL Handbook has a good example, so give the SPL the book and teach him how to make the agenda before each meeting. His gaol goes from just doing a confusing meeting and seeing what they get done, to getting the agenda completed. Much easier gaol to start with.

 

Adults should stay quiet with only the SM talking. In this case, I think the SM must help by asking questions that lead the SPL and PLC in a direction of thought and conversation. This is an art each SM has to develop.

 

Hopefully this will help give give your SPL a start. Sounds like a fantastic kid. I like the chat room idea for several reasons. One it has it's own bonding of ideas and team work. It is a form of team communication which is second in difficulty only to delegating. And I always cheer a scout who thinks outside the box. I agree these guys still need to have normal meetings, but I would not throw water on any ideas intended to help productive meetings. You have a great start here. Nurture this start and everyone will grow from the experience.

 

This is a wonderful time for you guys right now. Enjoy.

 

Barry