Better Roundtables for Scout Leaders.

[eagle54]

What ways can a roundtable for Scout Leaders can be improved?

 

 

 

 

[Bob White]

Lots of different ways.

Presentations,

Agendas,

Staff assignments,

Pizzaz,

Recognitions,

Promotions,

Location,

Room arrangement,

Themes,

Fellowship,

 

 

 

 

 

[acco40]

One of the things that our district has implemented was a joint opening session (Boy Scout and Cub Scout) for announcements, awards, etc. After the joint session, the two areas were adjouned to two different meeting areas.

 

One area that the Cub Scout roundtable struggles with is the fact that many are very green, having attended either none or just a few roundtables and that many have been to almost all roundtables for a few years. Trying to find material that will hold the interest for both groups can be challenging.

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Our RTs do the joint meeting first, and it's effective. It tends to be more Cub-oriented, but that is the largest percentage of the group.

 

I like brainstorming sessions. Last month, we did brainstorming on different places in the area to hike and camp. I came away with several ideas to share with the PLC. When we can get a good turnout, and a good subject, the discussion can be very beneficial.

 

The problem I see is that most experienced scouters don't come. It's usually people who are new in position, or a person "assigned" to come to represent their troop. Often that person doesn't really know the program, he's just their to take notes.

[berkshirescouter]

I have been Round Table Commissioner for the past year. It has not been easy. Only the new show up. I asked first meeting what do you want, did that, no one came. The biggest turnout was when I did Internet and scouting. Next year I am planning a night on how to deal with scouts with learning and or development disorders. I spoke with a school Physiologist who will give a presentation and followed by a what works discussion. The council has a Yahoo group, when I brought up this idea I got a lot of interest. Well see what happens.

[dancinfox]

When we got a new Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner in our district, he asked the participants (most of whom are experienced scouters) what we wanted. I told him that I would like to see roundtables run like a troop meeting. He has since done that, and I think he has done a great job. More information is given out to participants.

Dancin

[EagleInKY]

Dancin - Can you be more specific? I'd like to hear more about how they structured it like a Troop Meeting.

[bt01]

As a DTC, I have a few idess

 

 

Program,

Program.

Recognitions,

Location,

Room arrangement,

Themes,

Fellowship

[dancinfox]

We have a opening, done by a different scouter every month which follows the theme for the month.

We then have a skills session which teaches us something new each month. Not all Scouters will find each month new, but as new leaders come they find something new to use.

We then have patrol meetings in which the RTC gives us the news about coming events and anything else going on in the Council or district.

Then we play a game. This is a game with a purpose followed by reflection.

[dancinfox]

We have a opening, done by a different scouter every month which follows the theme for the month.

We then have a skills session which teaches us something new each month. Not all Scouters will find each month new, but as new leaders come they find something new to use.

We then have patrol meetings in which the RTC gives us the news about coming events and anything else going on in the Council or district.

Then we play a game. This is a game with a purpose followed by reflection. Then we have a closing. The opening and closing are always new to someone, so that they can go back to their units and try something different.

Dancin

[Bob White]

Your agenda is certainly one area where Roundtables can be impproved. if you take Round table training (or at least get a hold of the Roundtable Training Guide, you will find that the recommended agenda closely resembles a troop meeting agenda.

 

This serves multiple purposes. It has portions designed to provide leaders "the will to do" and "the skill to do" good troop scouting programs, and that after all is the purpose of Roundtable. Another advantage is that it sets a good example for the participants to see a model meeting in action. A by-product of that is it teaches unit leaders the pace or feel of a good meeting. Pace has a lot to do with a meetings success as it considers the attention span of the participants and brings interest and excitement to the activity when done properly.

 

By the way, one thing I failed to mention on my list of things that can improve Roundtable is Training. Have the RT Commissioner and the staff members been trained? Have they attended:

NLE,

SM Leader Specific,

Wood Badge,

Trainer Development/BSA 500,

Roundtable Staff Development,

Roundtable Commissioner Training,

Boy Scout Roundtable Conference at Philmont?

 

The easiest way to improve Roundtable is to develop the skills of those responsible for delivering Roundtable.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Eamonn]

Couple of things that we have done.

Mailboxes: Each unit has a mail box with details about all the stuff that is going on. This could be in the district, council or just details that people want to share: Places to visit or details about programs that other organizations are running. If no one from the unit is at the meeting to pick up the mail it goes to the unit commissioner to be hand delivered.

Key3 Newsletter: This has cut the time that the much dreaded announcements take to only a few words and best of all I don't have to hear the song; Announcements, announcements, announcements...

Eamonn

[John-in-KC]

I'm not a RTC. I'm staff, on the Boy side.

 

Many of the ideas listeed in previous posts we also do. Others include:

 

ONE STOP SHOPPING for unit serving Scouters. Every month, our Roundtable has:

- OA Chapter meeting (OA owns)

- Eagle Project review and approval (Dist Adv comm owns)

- New Leader Essentials common core (training comm owns)

- Youth Protection (two certified YP trainers own)

- Merit Badge Counselor (training comm owns)

- Professionals Corner (big district, 3 pros)

- Venturing Corner (Venturing RT is quarterly, VRTC attends Scout RT monthly with her mailboxes and info))

 

That's before we talk about the programs of either Cub Scout RT or Boy Scout RT.

 

SURVEY SCOUTERS ANNUALLY: We survey Scouters every year at program fair. We incorporate what Scouters want/need into the coming year program.

 

Bottom lines:

- None of this is new

- All of us have day jobs; we bring the same CUSTOMER SERVICE attitudes from our work to our Scouting support.

- We look to have fun

 

We're blessed to have experience in depth in those who are our roundtable commissioners. They do the good groupthink! One did his Commissioners doctoral thesis on improving roundtables.

 

John