Question about Scoutmaster training.

[hendrickms24]

My son is turning 18 at the end of March  and has told me he is willing to become an Assistant Scoutmaster. 

He has stated that he will help out with attending Camping trip but will limit his Troop meeting attendance. 

I fine with that and having him around on Campout will help me out a lot.  Heck, I have some AS that are no real help to me at all.   

My question is our District has classroom part (sorry forgot the name) of SM training in March before my Son turns 18.

Can he attend the train or does he have to wait until he is an adult?

 

Thanks.

[qwazse]

Congratulations on having such a great son!

 

I think you're talking about Scoutmaster Essentials.

I would sign him up and let the District Trainer know what you're doing.  It makes sense that you want your ASM to be on the books as a trained leader as soon as his application can be accepted.

 

They should be able to credit your son for the course the day he takes it regardless of his birthday. Heck they credited one of my venturers for earning WB when she was 11! (I think her dad was more than willing to give her his beads as a crank gift!)

[Eagle94-A1]

What you suggest is one option.  But if your council does not have the mandatory "Trained" requirement, mine is still  phasing it in, then he would be good to go with just YPT.

 

IF your council is one with the mandatory training, then get him registered as UNIT SCOUTER RESERVE (92U is the code). That position was created specifically for 18-20 year olds who want to be active, but cannot get all of the training yet, and are too young to be committee members.

[Stosh]

I'm with Eagle94-A1 on this.  Get him registered any way you can to get him in the door.  If he's allowed, I'd go for the training, but if not, go Eagle94-A1 route.  He doesn't need the ASM classification to function as one.  He can take the course as soon as it is offered after he's turned 18.  I'm thinking the council would go along with this approach with your son only months away from his 18th b-day.  Depends on their mood that day you ask. 

[hendrickms24]

So worse case scenario is if they don't let him take Scoutmaster Essentials then Unit Scouter Reserve is what I will register him as.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Krampus]

So worse case scenario is if they don't let him take Scoutmaster Essentials then Unit Scouter Reserve is what I will register him as.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Ask your District Training Chairman if your Eagle scout can test out of SM training. 

 

For example, my area requires IOLS and the Leader-specific training. IOLS is essentially the first year scout program rolled in to one weekend. Most good Eagles can do that with their eyes closed. My area allows us to test out. Leader-specific is the one training they may require a young man to take. Most won't let you test out unless you've been an SM before.

[Stosh]

Thank your son for me.  I appreciate him taking his Eagle charge seriously.

[Eagledad]

I don't think it's a problem taking the course, most instructors will let him sit in. It's a matter of getting credit. I think Eagle94's answer fixes the problem. As for testing out, I use to teach the course and don't remember any test to give. Plus, a lot of the information given isn't something even an Eagle Scout would have come across in his scouting experience. That's why the course is so painfully boring.

 

Barry

[SSScout]

Eagledad:   Boring is as boring does....

If your IOLS team doesn't make the course at least worth "camping without kids" , then somebody else needs to try and "fun it up". 

 

IOLS  and the SLS indoors needs to be a time when the Scouter (1) can pretend to be a Scout and try to see the Scout stuff from the Scout's perspective, ( 2) Hear from folks who have "been there and done that"  and (3) get to share their own skills and questions (and answers?).   All that should make for an interesting day, I would hope. 

  I have taught some portion of the SLS and IOLS classes many times with other old timers, and never have we been told it was a "boring" experience.  Some folks do come away saying "ho hum" and most with a "thank you very much", but we always strive to " give value for your time".   And, truth be told, we  never limit ourselves to just the "official" curriculum.  We always find lots more stuff to hand out and talk about and elicit any and all personal material from the participants.  

I would never see the need (?) to "test out".  There is always something to be learned, if only to find out that one has been blessed in being ahead of the game in my personal experience.  

[walk in the woods]

Technically, he doesn't need any training or to even register to help out on campouts assuming your are over 21. From the G2SS: Two-deep leadership on all outings required. A minimum of two registered adult leaders, or one registered leader and a participating Scout’s parent, or another adult is required for all trips and outings. One of these adults must be 21 years of age or older.

[Eagledad]

Eagledad:   Boring is as boring does....

If your IOLS team doesn't make the course at least worth "camping without kids" , then somebody else needs to try and "fun it up". 

 

Council used our district as an example of doing that very thing.

 

Barry

[qwazse]

@@SSScout and @@Eagledad, the OP was referring to the 'classroom' training, not IOLS. And the question was not if he should, but if he could. I see no reason why not -- considering there are limited opportunities for that course throughout the year. Get the boy trained before he goes off to college or war, and fitting things like this into his schedule will be difficult.

[Stosh]

....and by the way, it sounds rather hypocritical on the part of the Council to say no to someone who wants training.  They have enough trouble getting people to take it in the first place.

[Eagledad]

@@SSScout and @@Eagledad, the OP was referring to the 'classroom' training, not IOLS. And the question was not if he should, but if he could. I see no reason why not -- considering there are limited opportunities for that course throughout the year. Get the boy trained before he goes off to college or war, and fitting things like this into his schedule will be difficult.

Yes, the classroom part is what I was responding to with the OP because I used to teach it. I don't think anyone would care if he sat in. As for the SSScouts IOLS comment, I didn't think it worth correcting him since it wasn't part of the discussion.

 

Barry

[SSScout]

My apologies for expanding the discussion unintentionally. "As usual", I thought the discussion had swerved into other, somewhat connected topics.

 

The SLS classroom part also often suffers from the "Official" only training. It can also be flat table listen to me lecture boring. The trainers (who might want to take Trainers Edge if offered in Council) are well urged to bring out their experiences and encourage the participants to share their own "time in the trenches" as appropriate.

When I was last called to help with the SLS training, both Cub and Scoutmaster, I was disappointed to note the curriculum had been cut significantly. See the appropriate threads here for details. The reason seemed to be (1) deal only with what SMs are officially responsible for (cut out discussion of finance, for instance) and (2) It was "too long" before.

 

By all means, anyone eager to be trained and Be A Scouter should attend.