Four steps of Boy Scout advancement

[John-in-KC]

Sigh.  So much for "game with a purpose."

 

Haven't you heard? Pedagogy is the latest "invisible" required merit badge.

[Eagledad]

Sigh.

 

Game with a purpose, anyone?

At the adult level, sure. But what was National thinking would be gained by teaching it to Cub Scouts. It's not very fun.

 

Barry

Edited March 15, 2016 by Eagledad

[Stosh]

As intense as they are, I wonder if the Webelos AOL requirements are more focused and intense than the Scout/Tenderfoot requirements that they have to turn around and do all over again when they reach Boy Scouts.

[qwazse]

I think this requirement is geared toward training parents. We tell the Webelos this once (basically the your-parent's-don't-sign-your-book-anymore lecture) and then they pretty much get it.

[blw2]

As intense as they are, I wonder if the Webelos AOL requirements are more focused and intense than the Scout/Tenderfoot requirements that they have to turn around and do all over again when they reach Boy Scouts.

this is maybe my biggest issue with cub scouts...

at least in the old program, and I think it's still somewhat true in the new program

Do it once, then repeat, then repeat, then repeat, then repeat....

 

I get that kids forget what happened last month, and for some things repetition is needed for learning, but the trail is along a sharp cliff's edge to boredom!

 

Interesting observation though, that the new AOl might be more focused.... do you mean in a good and constructive way?

[Stosh]

No, for AOL the requirements are just about verbatim with the Scout/Tenderfoot requirements.  It's like taking adult training to be a WDL then turning around and taking the same training for SM/ASM.  Adults wouldn't put up with it, but we now expect it for the boys.  Whereas the old Scout rank did not require memorization of the Law and Oath, now AOL does!

 

It's the same principle facing the council camp.  The Cubs have had 4-5 years of Cub Scout Day Camp, Family camping every year maybe twice a year, Webelos 3 day camp and now for the first time week long Cub summer camp this summer.

 

The last two years, when the discussion came up where the boys wanted to do summer camp, they wanted to go anywhere other than council camp,  Remember my new troop consists mostly of Webelos cross-overs.  That does not bode well for for the camp.  This year they dropped one week session of Boy Scout summer camp and replaced it with a church denomination coming in and renting the whole camp for the week.  It's only a matter of time before yet another camp bites the dust.

 

You are correct, @@Eagle94-A1 it has become BORRRRING!

[Eagledad]

While I was a Cub Master and Scoutmaster, National added the AOL requirements to visit a troop, talk to a SM and fill out the Troop Membership application. I was disappointed with National because being a Scout purist, advancement should be for boy growth, not clever attempts to improve membership. 

 

I will admit that National has challenges with membership as the culture changes. But I still don't feel they talk to enough leaders to understand the depth of the challneges. 

 

I can see teaching the Webelos leaders the 4 Steps of Boy Scout Advancement for the reason qwaze described. But I would really like to thin out the Webelos handbook for the boys so that it is more adventure and less promotion.

 

Barry

[blw2]

.....

I will admit that National has challenges with membership as the culture changes. But I still don't feel they talk to enough leaders to understand the depth of the challneges. 

.....

on the other hand, maybe that's the problem....

 

 they talk TO enough leaders

 

Otherwise, I agree with you

[Eagledad]

on the other hand, maybe that's the problem....

 

 they talk TO enough leaders

 

Otherwise, I agree with you

Or it depends on who they talk to. During the mid 1990's, we polled a lot of Tiger parents about the Tiger program trying to understand the high drop out rate. One thing we learned was that 80 percent of parents liked the Tiger T-shirt because of the low entry cost into the program. To our surprise, the Blue Cub shirt became part of the Tiger uniform in 2000. The only reason I could see National making the change was because most of the new leaders in the pack came from that 20 percent of Tiger parents.They certainly didn't represent the average parent, at least by our own polling. I don't know how National polled their data, but I believe most of it came from den leaders rather the parents. 

 

Barry

Edited March 16, 2016 by Eagledad

[JasonG172]

As intense as they are, I wonder if the Webelos AOL requirements are more focused and intense than the Scout/Tenderfoot requirements that they have to turn around and do all over again when they reach Boy Scouts.

 

 

Remember though not ALL new Boy Scouts are previous Webelos! Think of it as the new Bobcat for Boy Scouts

[JasonG172]

Being a webelos myself knowing the Law and Oath is key (in my opinion) that's one less thing the ScoutMaster (or SPL) will have to worry about from my boys, as well as knowing Bowline, TimberHitch, 2 half and square knot (which they should know from Bear)

[Stosh]

Remember though not ALL new Boy Scouts are previous Webelos! Think of it as the new Bobcat for Boy Scouts

 

Yep, and the Webelos boys can wait and do it with the non-Cub boys when the time comes.  They miss out on AOL, but they don't have to be bored with having to sit through a month or two of redundant material.

[Stosh]

By the way a few years back, those boys who got AOL and certain pins similar to the adventures of the new program, were able with SM's permission to cross-over into Boy Scouts at the TF rank so they didn't need to sit through it twice.  I haven't seen that practice brought back in the new adventure program.