21st Century Wood Badge a Thing of the Past

[SSScout]

Can I add the new Scoutmaster Specific course to this discussion?
HICO Eagle mentions "" It would also be nice if it covered
- secondary but important factors in running a troop (expenses, sources of income, CO relationship, etc.),""

.....all of which were specifically addressed in the prior version, but are not officially included in the new version. My partner and I were pointedly led to discussions on just those sort of things when we said "any questions?"


 

[TAHAWK]

You mean like Green Bar Bill's WB syllabus?

 

Why does it seem like the folks at national want todo away with everything Bill did?

 WB 1 intended to teach Scoutcraft through First Class. I have the syllabus.  Not surprisingly, in practice the teaching went beyond First Class skills.  Perhaps that is why, famously, the "learners" got so little sleep.  

 

BSA should support outdoor training in Scoutcraft beyond First Class, but there is no rule or regulation that stops volunteers from getting such courses together.   

 

Which "prior" version covered "expenses, sources of income, CO relationship, etc"?  There have been three versions with lesser changes in each over time.  

[SSScout]

Not WB, but the indoor part of the Scoutmaster Specific course, now called "Scoutmaster Position-Specific Training".   I tend to think BSA, in their wisdom(!), is trying to divide up the training, such that the Committee Member stuff (policy, money, CO relationship, etc. ??) is given to THEM, and not to the program folks, the SMs, ASMs, .  I don't like it,  I tend to think everyone should know/be aware of everything.  My District  Training Vice Chair  (not "Vice Training", enough of that joke)  and I,  when we have led the SM training, have noted that certain things have been "left out" from the new course.  It does shorten it by at least 3 hours, but hey,    it makes it more palatable to the newby SM, yes?

 

Training guide here:   http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-213_WB.pdf 

[MrBob]

The first 13 pages of that syllabus can be used for starting a cooking fire for the evening meal.  I fell asleep reading after that point.

[Eagle94-A1]

 WB 1 intended to teach Scoutcraft through First Class. I have the syllabus.  Not surprisingly, in practice the teaching went beyond First Class skills.  Perhaps that is why, famously, the "learners" got so little sleep.  

 

BSA should support outdoor training in Scoutcraft beyond First Class, but there is no rule or regulation that stops volunteers from getting such courses together.   

 

Which "prior" version covered "expenses, sources of income, CO relationship, etc"?  There have been three versions with lesser changes in each over time.  

 

 

By any chance, do you have ANY of the previous WB versions in an electronic format? I would love to have copies.

 

And I'll trade you an electronic copy of BA22 that I have for it too.

[Eagle94-A1]

Not WB, but the indoor part of the Scoutmaster Specific course, now called "Scoutmaster Position-Specific Training".   I tend to think BSA, in their wisdom(!), is trying to divide up the training, such that the Committee Member stuff (policy, money, CO relationship, etc. ??) is given to THEM, and not to the program folks, the SMs, ASMs, .  I don't like it,  I tend to think everyone should know/be aware of everything.  My District  Training Vice Chair  (not "Vice Training", enough of that joke)  and I,  when we have led the SM training, have noted that certain things have been "left out" from the new course.  It does shorten it by at least 3 hours, but hey,    it makes it more palatable to the newby SM, yes?

 

Training guide here:   http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-213_WB.pdf 

 

 I know one of the things I think the new syllabus does not emphasise enough is the PATROL METHOD (caps for emphasis). It was oneof the things I harped on in that class. One person actually kept track of the number of times I mentioned the Patrol Method, as whenever I had questions, I tried my best to incorporate the patrol method into the answer.  I admit I did  use some of the older syllabus and ILS-T , as well as some previous training informatrion, into my discussions.

 

I do admit, one thing I like about the new syllabus is that it is it no longer 'Death by PowerPoint." 

 

Problem I has, and it may have been b/c of the large number we had, lots of good questions that got the discussion rolling along. We actually did it longer than the proscribed time, but still too short a timeframe IMHO.

[TAHAWK]

Just paper.  I hope to scan it but need to buy a scanner.

[Gone]

Just paper.  I hope to scan it but need to buy a scanner.

 

Many libraries have scanners and will allow you to use them. Some librarians will not allow you to scan documents wholesale as it may be a violation of copyright...depending on what you are scanning.

 

By any chance, do you have ANY of the previous WB versions in an electronic format? I would love to have copies. 

 

And I'll trade you an electronic copy of BA22 that I have for it too. 

 

Pretty sure that's copyrighted.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[desertrat77]

When I think back to my initial training as an ASM ('85), the main benefit was the role of patrols.   However, as I recall, very little was actually said about patrols during the course of instruction (5 full consecutive Saturdays, followed by a weekend campout), but we were divided into patrols and encouraged to come up with names, cheers, etc.

 

The patrol spirit took off on its own, and continued to build over the ensuing weekends.  

 

The rest of the course?   Staffed by insufferable bores from district and council.   Yammering on and on about district and council stuff, and their vaunted role in said stuff.    Very little content about troop-level matters.   No matter.   Each patrol evolved with its own identity and the campout/graduation weekend was like a mini camporee.  

 

In fact, the patrol dynamics grew beyond the comfort level of some of the staff.   What was supposed to be a merely functionary grouping developed beyond their control at times, especially the campout.   The staff let us know their discontent about this, in subtle ways.   Lots of laughter, good natured pranks and building bonds during breaks and after hours.   Good times!

 

The patrol method works.

Edited June 26, 2015 by desertrat77

[TAHAWK]

Modeling -- demonstrating -- is fine, but it seems to me that learning should begin with a clear statement of what makes up the Patrol Method.  The new basic training syllabus is some improvement in that it describes some elements of the method - but only some.  It could and should be better.   The Patrol Method remains somewhat "misplaced."

 

Failing teaching Scouting's Most Important Method at the basic training level, where it should be taught, it should be taught at Wood Badge.   Instead, we have more modeling, and that defective. Watch adults making all the decisions in a very "troop method" process and conclude .?????   

[fred johnson]

I enjoyed my Woodbadge training and I learned a lot from it.  It also drove me to get involved more and I'm still working in those roles or related roles .   I do have one suggestion related to Woodbadge.  

 

Update guide to safe scouting to state that adult leaders can walk out of beading ceremonies that are longer than two minutes to preserve the health and safety of those officiating the ceremony.  

[desertrat77]

 

Update guide to safe scouting to state that adult leaders can walk out of beading ceremonies that are longer than two minutes to preserve the health and safety of those officiating the ceremony.  

 

Well said!

 

The beading ceremonies tend go on and on, often in front of captive audiences.

[SeattlePioneer]

<<  It seems that many people in key leadership positions in the BSA, from district to National, don't like the outdoors.>>

 

 

 

Reviewing the new Cub Scout program,  it seems that pretty much every liberal social and political fad has been written into the new program.

 

"Enduring values"?  Hard to find.

[HICO_Eagle]

You mean like Green Bar Bill's WB syllabus?

 

Why does it seem like the folks at national want todo away with everything Bill did?

 

That was exactly what I meant.  I keep getting asked to take Wood Badge with an implication that it's "the thing" holding me back from a Silver Beaver nomination.  Two problems with that:

1.  I don't see that Wood Badge is anything other than a waste of time.  Nothing anyone has shown or told me has demonstrated it will be anything other than yet another repeat of the various leadership/management classes I've had since college.

2.  I really don't care about awards as an adult.  I'm in this to help the boys.  The best "award" I've ever gotten was meeting up with one of my former Scouts, finding out he is now a Scoutmaster, and that he models his program after what I did.

[Stosh]

That was exactly what I meant.  I keep getting asked to take Wood Badge with an implication that it's "the thing" holding me back from a Silver Beaver nomination.  Two problems with that:

1.  I don't see that Wood Badge is anything other than a waste of time.  Nothing anyone has shown or told me has demonstrated it will be anything other than yet another repeat of the various leadership/management classes I've had since college.

2.  I really don't care about awards as an adult.  I'm in this to help the boys.  The best "award" I've ever gotten was meeting up with one of my former Scouts, finding out he is now a Scoutmaster, and that he models his program after what I did.

 

After 20+ years I don't wear my WB beads anymore..... They were presented to my best Eagle Scout who showed me that Real Deal Eagles are still possible.  He wears my beads to carry on the legacy they represent.  They have been to Philmont, BWCA, and the Centennial Jamboree, besides every place I have been to in scouting for 20+ years.  I wear his beads to remind me of my accomplishments in scouting.  They represent to me more than any Silver Beaver given by my peers ever will.

 

Well done @@HICO_Eagle.