"Boy lead" Programs - Presentations?

[TAHAWK]

If, as BSA continues to say, a patrol is a small group of friends who are largely self-selected, the PLC members may need training.  Until 2001, districts offered Junior Leader Orientation Workshop, a one day course of the Patrol method and leadership skills.  That went away and has never been replaced, despite many promises that a new syllabus would be forthcoming (A Scout is . . .). 

 

All there is short of NYLT is Introduction to Leadership  Skills for Troops - a not too subtle shift away from emphasis on BSA's "most important method" taught, on average, by an adult with an nine months as an SM.

 

Note the words.  They have power.

 

"Among the activities encountered by a troop’s leaders are

• Organizing the troop

• Planning and organizing activities and meetings

• Assigning duties to others

• Planning menus and figuring out food costs

• Encouraging advancement

• Guiding a troop’s involvement in problem-solving

• Teaching outdoor, sports, or craft skills

• Ensuring the troop’s safety during meetings and outings

• Handling the troop’s finances

• Helping other Boy Scouts make the most of their own leadership opportunities

• Encouraging participation

 

The badge of office presented to a Boy Scout who is accepting a position of troop leadership does not automatically make him a good leader.

 

What happened to patrols ? !!!!

[Stosh]

What happened to patrols ? !!!!

 

If one is managing a troop, one might as well call them departments.  The Department of Newbies, Department of Members and Department of Veterans.  If one is not too fussy on membership they can have the Department of This, the Department of That and the Department of Other Things.  Take your cue off the nudging of your supervisory mentor and have a good day.  Just git 'er done.  If not it will be reflected in your performance review at the end of 6 months.

 

Patrols have been outdated for the past 50 years, obsolete for the past 20.  We have leadership though.  Team Leads are specialty nudging supervisory mentors over a mixed-bag team of people too embarrassed to admit their involvement in the operation.

 

That sound about right?

Edited November 15, 2017 by Stosh

[TAHAWK]

You forgot the emoticon: 

 

"‘[T]he Patrol System is not one method in which Scouting for boys can be carried out, but it is the only method. . . . ’"

 

        B.S.A., The Patrol Method (1930)

 

"The patrol method isn’t one way to run a troop. It’s the only way."

 

           B.S.A., Scouting.org   (2014)

 

“nless the patrol method is in operation, you don’t really have a Boy Scout troop.â€

 

        B.S.A., Scouting.org (citing Baden-Powell) (September, 2015)

 

“Scouting happens in the context of a patrol.â€

 

        B.S.A., Scoutmaster Position Specific Training (current syllabus, 11/2017)

[Stosh]

Nope, one uses the when they are being sarcastic.  I'm thinking this would be better. 

[MattR]

If, as BSA continues to say, a patrol is a small group of friends who are largely self-selected, the PLC members may need training.  Until 2001, districts offered Junior Leader Orientation Workshop, a one day course of the Patrol method and leadership skills.  That went away and has never been replaced, despite many promises that a new syllabus would be forthcoming (A Scout is . . .). 

I always thought it would be great to have a one day training to explain at least what PLs are supposed to do. I searched and it looks like some districts still do this. It would be great to see a syllabus.

[TAHAWK]

My old troop 1987-2011) did it three times as an "unofficial" course using the old syllabus.

 

I took BSA's failure to keep its promise to produce a replacement syllabus as a measure of its institutional commitment to the Patrol Method.  As a later national training director said, it was not so much a change in policy as ignorance.  The Patrol method was "misplaced."  Some are fighting to bring it back.  That the Handbook again says that a troop is composed of patrols is significant, but only a start.