Why Wood Badge?

[Basementdweller]

Yes, the Den Leaders with the plush toy "critters" do cry at the end. Those freely distributed boxes of Kleenex at the closing represent the "diversity" we gained from Program Neutering.

 

Also, participants should then be able to spell "Wood Badge," and distinguish between the proprietary timeless "21st century leadership skills" of Green Bar Blanchard, and the non-proprietary timeless "21st century leadership skills" of Scouting's true founder, Bruce Tuckman.

 

must breath.....

 

Choking on my coffee........That is too funny

[Stosh]

An interesting twist to this whole Wood Badge thingy... If the 21st Century program is so much better than the "old stuff" why aren't the old-timers beating down the door to get into the program? For a while, the council was pushing the 21st program to the old-timers telling them that they needed to update in order to be on staff, eligible for Jambo staff, etc. etc. The impression was the "old stuff" wasn't going to be "valid" anymore. There were a few who even subtly threatened to require the re-training in order to keep the beads.

 

The conclusion for most was, well then, where do we drop off the beads.....

 

Somehow I keep thinking in the back of my mind, if the program is so much better, why isn't everyone, including "old stuff" Wood Badgers beating down the door to get into the program?

 

And that begs the second question, why after 13 years people are still asking the same question: "Why Woodbadge?"

 

Sometimes the track record speaks for itself.

 

Stosh

[BadenP]

An interesting twist to this whole Wood Badge thingy... If the 21st Century program is so much better than the "old stuff" why aren't the old-timers beating down the door to get into the program? For a while, the council was pushing the 21st program to the old-timers telling them that they needed to update in order to be on staff, eligible for Jambo staff, etc. etc. The impression was the "old stuff" wasn't going to be "valid" anymore. There were a few who even subtly threatened to require the re-training in order to keep the beads.

 

The conclusion for most was, well then, where do we drop off the beads.....

 

Somehow I keep thinking in the back of my mind, if the program is so much better, why isn't everyone, including "old stuff" Wood Badgers beating down the door to get into the program?

 

And that begs the second question, why after 13 years people are still asking the same question: "Why Woodbadge?"

 

Sometimes the track record speaks for itself.

 

Stosh

Stosh I took both the old WB course and WB21C and they were like night and day. The original course had a great well trained and knowledgeable staff that made the experience worthwhile and fun, while WB21C had a staff who basically read from scripts, were not very knowledgeable at all and made it a horrendeously boring and tedious endeavor. I tell new scouters that before signing up check to see who is on staff and if they are experienced and knowlegeable by asking around and if they are newbies or 70% Cub leaders check out other councils in your area for a better staff BEFORE you commit. IMHO integrating Cub leaders into WoodBadge has diluted the purpose and quality of WB.

[Basementdweller]

Here is an honest why......

 

You are required, at least in our council, to have 21st version to be a scoutmaster for our Jambo contingent.

 

 

And after sitting in the parents meetings for my sons trip.....I would never want that job.....You thought the boys were neurotic.....Of course several parents micro analyse the emails sent by national and the poor SM..... Fricken relax your not going and your scout will have a great time.

[qwazse]

An interesting twist to this whole Wood Badge thingy... If the 21st Century program is so much better than the "old stuff" why aren't the old-timers beating down the door to get into the program? For a while, the council was pushing the 21st program to the old-timers telling them that they needed to update in order to be on staff, eligible for Jambo staff, etc. etc. The impression was the "old stuff" wasn't going to be "valid" anymore. There were a few who even subtly threatened to require the re-training in order to keep the beads.

 

The conclusion for most was, well then, where do we drop off the beads.....

 

Somehow I keep thinking in the back of my mind, if the program is so much better, why isn't everyone, including "old stuff" Wood Badgers beating down the door to get into the program?

 

And that begs the second question, why after 13 years people are still asking the same question: "Why Woodbadge?"

 

Sometimes the track record speaks for itself.

 

Stosh

But, BP, when I was making tiramisu for our desert when during our patrol dinner, it was incredible! As soon as I emptied a bowl, before I could turn around to look for it, those cub moms had it cleaned, dried, and ready to use for the next step (of which there were many).

[jpstodwftexas]

Here is an honest why......

 

You are required, at least in our council, to have 21st version to be a scoutmaster for our Jambo contingent.

 

 

And after sitting in the parents meetings for my sons trip.....I would never want that job.....You thought the boys were neurotic.....Of course several parents micro analyse the emails sent by national and the poor SM..... Fricken relax your not going and your scout will have a great time.

 

And What would have Happened if No One to have it... would they have refused to send a group to Jambo?

 

[packsaddle]

An interesting twist to this whole Wood Badge thingy... If the 21st Century program is so much better than the "old stuff" why aren't the old-timers beating down the door to get into the program? For a while, the council was pushing the 21st program to the old-timers telling them that they needed to update in order to be on staff, eligible for Jambo staff, etc. etc. The impression was the "old stuff" wasn't going to be "valid" anymore. There were a few who even subtly threatened to require the re-training in order to keep the beads.

 

The conclusion for most was, well then, where do we drop off the beads.....

 

Somehow I keep thinking in the back of my mind, if the program is so much better, why isn't everyone, including "old stuff" Wood Badgers beating down the door to get into the program?

 

And that begs the second question, why after 13 years people are still asking the same question: "Why Woodbadge?"

 

Sometimes the track record speaks for itself.

 

Stosh

qwazse, I wish Vicki was still around to clonk you in the head with her steel hanky, lol. My compliments for a great response using sexist claptrap, as she called it. I'm envious.

[Twocubdad]

Here is an honest why......

 

You are required, at least in our council, to have 21st version to be a scoutmaster for our Jambo contingent.

 

 

And after sitting in the parents meetings for my sons trip.....I would never want that job.....You thought the boys were neurotic.....Of course several parents micro analyse the emails sent by national and the poor SM..... Fricken relax your not going and your scout will have a great time.

 

And What would have Happened if No One to have it... would they have refused to send a group to Jambo?

I was a jambo SM last time. The parents I could deal with -- a couple nut jobs, but many were leaders of their sons' home troops and got it. The ones I wanted to smack were the council jamboree committee members. The very best advice, information and guidance you could get for the 1988 jamboree. "Well, the way we did it in '05..... "No, no! The way we did it in '01 was.... "Yeah but the proper procedure was the way we did it in '97....." Wish we could have left them all in Richmond.

[packsaddle]

Here is an honest why......

 

You are required, at least in our council, to have 21st version to be a scoutmaster for our Jambo contingent.

 

 

And after sitting in the parents meetings for my sons trip.....I would never want that job.....You thought the boys were neurotic.....Of course several parents micro analyse the emails sent by national and the poor SM..... Fricken relax your not going and your scout will have a great time.

 

And What would have Happened if No One to have it... would they have refused to send a group to Jambo?

I'm trying to make sense out of those dates......

[bullet08]

hmm.. there was no peer pressure. no one in our pack has been to woodbadge before me, and i don't remember meeting anyone who has been to woodbadge. i went to woodbadge to be a better leader to my den. well.. i can't say that i have been a better leader since. our den parents might have something to say about my leadership skills, but i have no clue. i try to make it fun for the boys and make it worth awhile for them. now i'm also involved with a troop, i try to bring something to the troop that i do not see, like simple bushcraft skills.. simple outdoor skills like fire starting and maintenance. knife maintenance, use and care. map use and others.

 

i don't think big. and now i try to bring something back from boy scout troop to the webelos. things that i see missing from incoming webelos into the troop.

 

all the education that i received from woodbadge training was already been done at my work. leadership skills, soft skills, and others. but the setting and cooperation among the people in the class made the experience very powerful to me. i enjoyed every min of woodbadge and i spread the word to my pack leadership. one of our ACM went last yr and he had very similar experience as i did. now he is more involved with scouting at both pack and council level.. like i said, i don't think too big.

 

it's not really what they offer to you. it's what you want to bring back from the experience. there is old chinese saying. "even from the worst teacher, you can learn something.. how not to be a bad teacher". give it a shot, if you are interested. you don't have to go to woodbadge your council offers if you don't want to. you can go to other council's course. only thing that's holding back other leaders in my pack is time and money.

[Basementdweller]

Wow that council has some great marketing if they are getting Cub leaders to attend.

 

You did what they hoped you would do, recruited more to attend

[packsaddle]

Bullet08 mentioned something I have also wondered about. What does it cost in terms of time and money? Are these costs similar for all regions or councils?

[King Ding Dong]

Bullet08 mentioned something I have also wondered about. What does it cost in terms of time and money? Are these costs similar for all regions or councils?

In St. Louis it is $250 and two full three day weekends. I think there are also some pre meetings with your patrol. Probably an another 50-75 for food and patrol items like at IOLS. (Neckerchiefs, patrol flags, decorations, t shirts,). Maybe food and that stuff is included, not sure.

 

http://www.stlbsa.org/training/Pages/wood-badge.aspx

[Basementdweller]

Bullet08 mentioned something I have also wondered about. What does it cost in terms of time and money? Are these costs similar for all regions or councils?

I think my course was around $300.......Then the old ticket....I traveled out of state for Leave no trace training......That was an extra $500. so by the time the smoke cleared I had a grand in it pretty easy.....

[King Ding Dong]

Bullet08 mentioned something I have also wondered about. What does it cost in terms of time and money? Are these costs similar for all regions or councils?

BD, was the LNT required for WB or just an another training you wanted ? I have not seen any LNT training offered in our council.

 

There must be more to LNT than what is covered in the Tiger Handbook.