New Troop

[sm41]

Hi All,

 

I am a reader of the forum, but not an avid poster to the forum. I love all the advise that all the Scouters give.

 

He is my situation. Some of you may remember my prevous post on the same topic.

 

I am a brand new scoutmaster for a brand new troop. We are going to start having troop meetings this monday.

 

Through my recruiting efforts I have 12 boys. Ages 11 to 12. Most of them will be webelos scouts from local packs. Most of them will have some experience with camping and the such.

 

I have a great ASM, CC, COR, and most of the parents look to be on-board also.

 

MY Plan:

 

1st troop Meeting. I am going to run (Like the SPL should, but not as the SPL) It is going to include some team building games, and informational gathering games. This way the boys get to know each other, not just the Webelos from there pack. The Webelos from my pack (cubmaster) will be running the flags and closing ceremonies.

 

2nd troop meeting. I am again going to run it like the spl should. During this meeting they will choose up patrols (6 boys per patrol) and work on some of there tenderfoot requierments as I hold SM conferences with each boy. (5 minutes tops). Then we are going to hold elections for SPL and PL. I will not be involved with the elections except to count the votes. (Mr. Scoutmaster, who would you vote for to be SPL? Well Johnny, it is not my decision, so that does not matter, who do you think would be best for the position. ETC....) We will have a short PLC after the meeting.

 

3rd troop meeting. We are going to have a PLC a couple of days before the Meeting. I will guide the SPL before the actual PLC. At this point I am going to allow the SPL to run the show, (Filling in as needed for him to do a good job, I will let him succeed or fail as he determines). Our PLC will consist of: SPL, ASPL (If determined), PL's and APL's if determind by this point. My CC will be at the first PLC to observe. (I will tape his mouth shut if he interupts).

 

First camping trip will be 6 weeks after the troop starts meeting. This will be a informational camping trip. IE Toten Chip and Firemn Chip will be worked on and awarded. (These skill will be worked on during Patrol activities at the troop meetings) I will be the instructor for these. (P.S. I am currently on staff for my councils OLS, First aid, Knots, Knifes and Axes). This will be a two night camping trip, I will make dinner Friday night (since the scouts will not have there Firemn chips yet) I will also be making Breakfast the Next morning. (the scouts will be helping of course).

 

 

Any thought?

 

All will be greatly appriciated.

 

Thanks

 

YIS

SM41

 

[acco40]

Before your SPL/PL elections, I would hold a brief session informing the youth and parents what duties and responsibilities these positions entail. Why have them vote on something they may know nothing about? Good luck!

[sm41]

Thanks for the reply. I forgot to include this in my first message. During the first troop meeting I have a 15 Minute presentation that outlines the Boy structur part of the troop, sftey rules, and leadership position duties. This is for the scouts and parents both to attend to.

 

I also have a informational packet going out to the scouts and parents that include items such as. the PL,ASPL,SPL etc. Responsabilities. Fire and knife (ax bow saw) saftey rules. as well as other documents. (this is much like a packet received for OLS trainees, but geared toward the scout).

 

Good point. Thanks

 

 

YIS

 

SM41

[EagleInKY]

Congratulations on starting the new troop. I wish you the best of luck. We started a new troop last April and I'm well aware of the challenges and benefits of starting from scratch.

 

Personally, my recommendation would be to slow down a little. You don't have to have patrols, PL, SPL, and everything from the get-go. Allow your troop to take shape gradually. More than likely, the shock of changing from Webelos to Scouting is going to be enough as it is.

 

We did similar to you, the first few weeks involved team-building, understanding how a troop meeting works, and started working on some basic scout skills. Each meeting we split them up into "temporary" patrols (4 & 5 boys in each). After the first month, we went on our first campout. This was when we assigned patrol memberships. Yes, I said "assigned". We didn't allow the boys to pick. Unless your boys are far more mature than ours, they'll pick who they naturally gravitate to. In our case, the four problem kids move together, and the five better kids do the same. That would be a terrible patrol situation. We split them up as to better balance the capabilities and personalities of the group. It also prevents cliques that may come over from the pack. If you're starting with boys from different packs, you run the risk that your patrol lines will be drawn along those lines.

 

Secondly, we didn't elect patrol leadership for another month. This allowed them to get to know each other and interact in a patrol setting. During this time we focused on scout skills and troop structure.

 

Finally, we have not elected an SPL yet. I and the ASM are "acting" SPL when we need to be. When we can, we assign one of the patrol leaders to act as "senior" Patrol Leader. For example, we're going to Klondike this weekend. We've assigned one of the PLs to be "senior" Patrol Leader for the weekend. He'll represent the troop at the SPL meeting, be lead guy on the sled, and generally run the troop on the campout, just as the SPL would. We alternate this between the PLs, so they each get experience at it. We've told them that when we see a boy ready to take the full mantle of responsibility, we'll have an SPL. Fortunately, one of our PLs is starting do demonstrate this, and I expect we'll have an SPL by this summer.

 

I realize that our methods are not "by the book" and some will disagree with them. But, it has been - I believe - very effective in transitioning the boys from Webelos into Scouting. It is not that unlike running a NSP program, the big difference is that the NSP is the only program we had to offer this year.

 

Again, good luck. I encourage you to take your time. The boys will develop, but each at their own pace. It's your job to help get them there.

 

[mk9750]

SM41,

 

Congratulations, and good luck! Were I in your shoes, I'm not sure if I would recognize the terrific oportunity you have to start from scratch. I think all I'd see are the hardships ahead. Sounds to me like you've got the basis for a great beginning!

 

I agree with EaglelnKY. Under your circumstances, with no one for the new guys to model, and having had no real Junior Leader training, I think it might be rushing it to get leaders in place within your time frame. I'm very supportive of the theory that the Scouts learn as well or better from their failures as their successes, but putting them in a position that is likely to lead to more failures than successes might not be the way to go. I like the idea of you providing the model for a few weeks, maybe even a month or a little more, before you hand over the reigns to a boy. Just gives them a better chance for success, IMHO.

 

I've got to tell, you, I kind of envy you, now that I think about it!

 

Keep us posted please?

 

Mark

[mk9750]

Sorry I missed one point I wanted to make.

 

As you "Lead", make sure you explain to all of the boys what you are doing and why you are doing it. It would be great if you could make your first few weeks / months stricly JLT, but that would be boring for the Scouts, I think. But anything you do that an SPL or a PL will eventually do can be used as training. That way, you can do the stuff that will be fun and exciting, and still train your future leaders.

 

And BTW, welcome!!!

 

Mark

[sm41]

Thanks all for the great information.

 

I have been hearing and reading some info.

 

What do you all think of rotating the PL's? say once a month for a while. This way they all get exposed to it.

 

I will need to see how they reacte to the Idea of electing each other to position of leadership, and if they can handle it.

 

As there Mentor I was planning on helping them develop there leadership styles and skills.

 

I need to tread a fine line between Boy Led and Adult led though. I don't want my over ambitous ASM's to get to comfortable in doing the work of the scouts.

 

 

YIS SM41

[EagleInKY]

Mark made me think of a couple of more points. Hope you're not getting tired of my writing, but this is "close to home" right now. In fact, I just gave a presentation at Pow wow on starting a troop from your Webelos den. 7 leaders (Webelos or Cubmaster) were there, all of whom are planning on doing this in the next year.

 

Whenever we "act" as SPL, we try to point it out to the boys. I know I don't do it every time, but I try to whenever possible. Especially when it's something new or different. I'll say "I'll do it this time, but in the future you'll need the SPL to do it".

 

Also, we just did JLT a few weeks ago. I think doing it 6-8 months out is pretty good timing. By then they'll have some experiences that they can relate the JLT to.

[EagleInKY]

SM41 -

 

Your last post came in while I was typing mine.

 

Rotating PL's is not a bad idea. In that way, you are working kind of like an NSP, as I suggested.

 

I agree that over-ambitious adult leaders is the biggest challenge to the boy-led transition. I have one set of parents that are not in-synch yet. That is because of their boy and his problems with peer leadership. Other than that, I just try to remind them when they are doing something that the boys should do.

 

This weekend will be a great test for us. It's our first campout since shifting from more adult-led to boy-led. I would say that we started out being 80-20 (adult-led to boy-led) and migrated to 60-40 through the year. Now I'm essentially turning the tables, trying to be 60-40 (boy-led to adult-led). With the goal being 80-20 boy-led by summer camp. (I don't think you ever get to 100%, probably somewhere in the 90s).

[sm41]

JLT,

 

Thanks, i was starting to work on my JLT program and 6 to 8 months sounds about right. When I was a scout I had to wait almost a year before I could go.

 

Should I do some teaching of basic scout skills to my SPL/PL's before a camp out, or should I teach the whole troop.

 

I like the SM creed of "Never teach a scout somthing another scout can teach".

 

I think having a couple of mini JLT's (and not calling them that) would be a good thing. These skills would include: Foil pack cooking, dutch oven cooking, knots, hiking, and any thing else that mey be needed to have a good patrol.

 

I was also going to start the Service and Program patrols off during the first camping trip.

 

YIS

 

SM 41

[EagleInKY]

Good idea to train as much ahead of time... but there's no training like reality. They'll mostly learn as they are doing it. Using your PLs and SPL to train, when possible, is good. If you're guys are like mine, they are all learning the first time. This year, i plan to use them to do the majority of the teaching.

 

You can certainly work JLT principle in throughout the year. I often try to use little leadership lessons. They may come in the instructional part of the meeting, the patrol competition, or the SM Minute. There are lots of opportunities to teach the principles. But most of them won't get it, until JLT (or in some cases, their 2nd or 3rd JLT). ;-)

[Bob White]

Hi SM41

 

Two resources you might find helpful. The BSA publishes a brochure for new troop Titled The First 6-Months. I think you will find it's agendas and timetables very useful. Next, there are agendas for a new troop's first three troop meetings beginning on page 29 of the Scoutmasters Handbook.

 

I would also recommend Rotating the Patrol Leader position every two months for 1 year to give everyone a chance to see how the PLC functions before they elect a 6 to 9-month Patrol Leader.

 

I would also recommend a very effective way to organize the patrols so that the boys are grouped with a majority of other boys that they want to be in a patrol with.

 

At the second meeting elect a Senior Patrol Leader and have him select an assistant. Give the others apiece of paper. Have each scout put his name at the top, and under it list 4 scouts he would like to be in a patrol with. Make sure they understand that this is part of a process and not a guarantee of who will be in the patrol.

 

Make a spread sheet. Each boy's name becomes a row label along the first left hand column, and a column label in the same order across the first row left to right as they appear top to bottom. With me so far?

 

Take the lists that the scouts made and in Tom's row check the column box for each scout he listed including himself.

 

Once you do this with all ten names you will see a pattern develop. The boys with the most check marks in their column will almost certainly be voted the first Patrol Leaders (I have never seen it fail). Separate those two to four most popular into two patrols. Then by looking at patterns of who wanted to be with who you can easily set-up patrols based on natural groups. Boys who get few or no votes are a sign of boys who will need special attention from you and the junior leaders. Put them in patrols that you feel they have the best chance to succeed in.

 

This will help you get off on the right foot and set-up patrols that are the best combination for cohesiveness.

 

Private message me if you need further explanation.

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[sm41]

Thanks all,

 

This is great stuff.

 

I do have the base plan from the program helps (even have program helps) and all the other info.

 

I have never seen the first 6 months for a new troop though.

 

I am going to implament the rotating Patrol leader idea. Elect a new patrol leader, not the one you have had prevously or somthing like it.

 

I will only elect the SPL at the second meeting, and wait for the third to elect/appoint a PL.

 

I do have one boy who has never been in scouts. He will be the one who does not naturaly gravitate to any group.

 

2 boys who will probably be elected SPL (from diffrent packs)..

 

HMMM, i think this will work out after all. I have been trying to figure the best way for a while.

 

 

Thanks All.

 

PAT

[Bob White]

Whoa Pat! you should only elect one SPL. Then he gets to select his ASPL (see the Scoutmaster Handbook, the Patrol Leader Handbook and the Senior Patrol Leader Handbook). It is important these two get along. The same process happens in each patrol. Patrol members elect a PL and he selects an assistant. The SPL selects all troop officers, and the PL selects all patrol officers.

 

In your case I would have the patrols operate as sort of New Scout Patrols. Have them elect the first PL and have him select the APL. then in two months the APL moves up to PL and selects a new APL. When the last person moves up to PL the first PL becomes his assistant. After their two month tenure the patrol would elect their first 6 to 9-month PL and he would select his asst.

 

Hope this helps,

Bob W.

[sm41]

Bob,

 

you mis-understood me. Only one will be elected, there are two that may be elected due to popularity. One from each pack.

 

Sorry for mis stating my-self. And yes as SPL he would appoint his own officers. IE Scribe, ASPL, etc.....

 

 

Thanks all for your help.

 

 

YIS

 

SM41