Why Wood Badge?

[HICO_Eagle]

I see having someone WB-"educated" is now a JTE requirement. Gre-e-e-e-eat ...

[HICO_Eagle]

Would you ever recommend to one of your youth to NOT go to NYLT because it would be a waste of their time? Basically it is the same material as WB. If you think it would benefit them, why do you doubt it would benefit you?

My Scouts haven't had 30 years of Scouting, 20+ years of military service plus associated "professional military education", numerous management and leadership courses, and Scoutmaster Fundamentals (which I also considered redundant and useless). They would benefit from NYLT, I would not.

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

Wood Badge is the top BSA volunteer leader training, with Power Horn being it's outdoor skill companion. I agree with what was said above, Wood Badge is what you make of it. My course was an amazing experience that changed my life for the better, both inside, and outside of scouting. I took Wood Badge as a 25 year vet leader, and still walked away with more than I could have dreamed. Should everyone take Wood Badge, no I don't think so. I's suggest Wood Badge to seasoned leaders with about five years tenure, who are looking at taking on a key role, at any level, in any unit type.

 

Keep in mind a good attitude and open mind are essential to making your course experience a good one. This experience will vary from council to council, and course to course. I can say the scenario described in the OP would never happen in my council.

[knighttemplar]

I think 4days of some what leadership training is not enough, I think there should be 3 tiers to a WB. When I was a asst scoutmaster back in the 90's I looked at it hard. But we had camp Merrill (5th RTB) that actually gave you better leadership training, and skills that you could take back to the Troop level.

It lasted a straight week in July when the school shut down. The Rangers had a very active role in the Northeast Georgia council in the Boy Scout capacity as well as the Explore capacity.

I think Giving the skills to leaders is essential and especially when as a parent you are trusting another adult with precious cargo. So knowing that this adult is trained a little above the standard and that they will be safe in a Backpacking, Water, mountaineering type of activity.

 

It also was designed to give some adults who have never had a chance to lead or been in a leadership role some guidance. But to someone who has some type of leadership role daily will find it trivial to say the least. That is why I think there should be a 3 tier system of training to the wood badge and make it more unique and challenging as well. I mean look at this way there is that old saying " do not tell someone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself" so doing that 50 mile a foot. 50 mile a float you have the skills to deal with oh" it" factor when it happens.

 

[jpstodwftexas]

So Basically BSA Councils are saying Unless You Have Woodbadge...Regardless of Any other BSA Training and Experience you have..Your to Dumb to lead anything until ya pay for Woodbadge then suddenly you know it all and Can Lead..Until you Take Woodbadge you don't No Anybody then Suddenly you Know everyone after two weekend.

[Basementdweller]

I think 4days of some what leadership training is not enough, I think there should be 3 tiers to a WB. When I was a asst scoutmaster back in the 90's I looked at it hard. But we had camp Merrill (5th RTB) that actually gave you better leadership training, and skills that you could take back to the Troop level.

It lasted a straight week in July when the school shut down. The Rangers had a very active role in the Northeast Georgia council in the Boy Scout capacity as well as the Explore capacity.

I think Giving the skills to leaders is essential and especially when as a parent you are trusting another adult with precious cargo. So knowing that this adult is trained a little above the standard and that they will be safe in a Backpacking, Water, mountaineering type of activity.

 

It also was designed to give some adults who have never had a chance to lead or been in a leadership role some guidance. But to someone who has some type of leadership role daily will find it trivial to say the least. That is why I think there should be a 3 tier system of training to the wood badge and make it more unique and challenging as well. I mean look at this way there is that old saying " do not tell someone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself" so doing that 50 mile a foot. 50 mile a float you have the skills to deal with oh" it" factor when it happens.

I agree that additional training is needed such as an Advanced Outdoor training course. in addition to an IOLS.

 

Should not come under the auspice of a paper pushing course.

[Basementdweller]

So Basically BSA Councils are saying Unless You Have Woodbadge...Regardless of Any other BSA Training and Experience you have..Your to Dumb to lead anything until ya pay for Woodbadge then suddenly you know it all and Can Lead..Until you Take Woodbadge you don't No Anybody then Suddenly you Know everyone after two weekend.

officially probably not.

 

 

But the district volunteers certainly enforce it.

[Basementdweller]

I think 4days of some what leadership training is not enough, I think there should be 3 tiers to a WB. When I was a asst scoutmaster back in the 90's I looked at it hard. But we had camp Merrill (5th RTB) that actually gave you better leadership training, and skills that you could take back to the Troop level.

It lasted a straight week in July when the school shut down. The Rangers had a very active role in the Northeast Georgia council in the Boy Scout capacity as well as the Explore capacity.

I think Giving the skills to leaders is essential and especially when as a parent you are trusting another adult with precious cargo. So knowing that this adult is trained a little above the standard and that they will be safe in a Backpacking, Water, mountaineering type of activity.

 

It also was designed to give some adults who have never had a chance to lead or been in a leadership role some guidance. But to someone who has some type of leadership role daily will find it trivial to say the least. That is why I think there should be a 3 tier system of training to the wood badge and make it more unique and challenging as well. I mean look at this way there is that old saying " do not tell someone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself" so doing that 50 mile a foot. 50 mile a float you have the skills to deal with oh" it" factor when it happens.

In a further response to your post.

 

Isn't that the grist of the Powderhorn course.

 

Know your limits, you cannot be proficient at everything and Know where to get the experts to put on a safe and exciting course for your unit.

[Stosh]

So Basically BSA Councils are saying Unless You Have Woodbadge...Regardless of Any other BSA Training and Experience you have..Your to Dumb to lead anything until ya pay for Woodbadge then suddenly you know it all and Can Lead..Until you Take Woodbadge you don't No Anybody then Suddenly you Know everyone after two weekend.

Don't feel bad about it, if one took WB pre-2000, you go back to being dumb until you take it again.

 

Stosh

[jpstodwftexas]

Well I guess I am to stupid to remember where I put My Checkbook then....If I have to pay to Volunteer forget it..I will just pay to attend what I want and not have to work or worries

[Stosh]

Well I guess I am to stupid to remember where I put My Checkbook then....If I have to pay to Volunteer forget it..I will just pay to attend what I want and not have to work or worries

30 years of working with Boy Scouts and I am not allowed to staff WB because I'm pre-2000. Go figure. At least they don't tap me out anymore for training, that's a good thing too. (They have tapped me out to do certain segments as an adjunct instructor for some of the more difficult topics.)

 

Stosh

[Kudu]

Well I guess I am to stupid to remember where I put My Checkbook then....If I have to pay to Volunteer forget it..I will just pay to attend what I want and not have to work or worries

We should force the WB participants who took the Blanchard WB 2000 course, to take the Tuckman course, just to watch them Storm.

[Kudu]

I gladly supplement my Scouting training by reading William Hillcourt's writings and studing B-P's Aids to Scoutmastership.

OK, congratulations! Your Patrols are camped 300 feet apart, and your Patrol Leaders lead Patrol Hikes and Overnights without adult supervision at least once a month (if only in Scout camps on monthly Troop campouts).

 

However, most "supplemental" reading of Hillcourt and Baden-Powell ends up as out-of-context gems that illustrate the deep wisdom of Wood Badge taking power away from Patrol Leaders and giving it to Troop elections, the Troop SPL, and his patronage Troop Method positions, such as multiple Troop ASPLs and multiple Troop Guides.

 

[Basementdweller]

Hmmmm, I can see a non outdoor super geeky cubedwelling fluffy millennial dad or mom going to ebay or amazon and buying the listed books. Reading them and declaring I have read Kudu's recommended books so I am now qualified to take a group of 12 year olds on an outing.

 

This is exactly how we end up on the 6 o'clock news. Helicopters and rescuers are now searching for a Leader and a group of scouts lost in Big Mountain State Park. or drowned in Big Muddy River or burnt 1 million acres in Big Green State park.

 

 

A paper pushing course does not make you an outdoorsman.

 

 

 

With all of the drama with our new District Commisioner, it is no wonder quality outdoorsman are leaving......To much of a hassle.

 

Sorry boys your going to need to learn citizenship from a game console.

[Kudu]

Did I take away some valuable things for my Troop? Absolutely. Was it lashing skills or how to tie a bowline? No. .

Wood Badge has successfully positioned its history as a transition from dated Scoutcraft skills to "twenty-first century" (1965) corporate "leadership skills."

 

The real transition was to replace one form of leadership skills with another:

 

That would be Hillcourt's "Real" Patrol Leader skills necessary to physically _lead_ a Patrol into backwoods adventure on a regular basis ("patrol" as a verb).

 

Versus:

 

Bruce Tuckmans Troop Method skills to form and storm menus and duty rosters in family campground-sized lots, where Wood Badge helicopters monitor the "controlled failure" of six month Troop election winners.