Advancement Charts for Scouts

[RainShine]

I've done a bit of searching on this site and elsewhere. Seems like there is some colorful and enthusiastic use of Advancement Charts for Cub Scouts. Does anyone use advancement charts for Scouts? Or maybe that was in the old days. See attached. If displayed in the patrol corner or troop meeting, would it would provide incentive to advance or embarrassment and immediate exit?

2016advancementchart.pdf

[fred8033]

I used the cub scout advancement poster-boards multiple times.  It worked well ... or as well as the den-leader worked.             

                         

For troops, advancement is personal.  Individual.  I would not encourage sharing detailed progress.  Advancement is not competitive.   ... Leave the detailed progress to the scout and his scout book.

... BUT ... our troop does have an advancement board.  During Courts of Honor, scouts move their own name to the next rank as part of receiving their recognition.      

This is NOT our board, but we have something very similar.  Ours was a family wood working project and is more portable, but also uses the large patches sold in the scout store.  Our troop name, city and numbers were hand-cut by a scout using a jig saw.  ( ... ummmm ... Wood was cut by hand with a jig saw ... not the scout's hand cut by the jig saw....) ... Our board also keeps a name tag on for all our recent Eagle alums.  

Scouts really liked moving their names.  Adults leaders really took pride in all the scouts and where they were on their journeys.

                     

Edited January 2, 2020 by fred8033

[DuctTape]

Any type of advancement poster, or chart is best used at the Patrol level. In my experience this is a perfect role for the APL to take on. Not as a cudgel, but for patrol planning purposes. For example: 

At a patrol meeting:

PL: "So for next month's outing, what are you guys interested in?"

Patrol mates chitter chatter for a minute.

PL: "Sounds like a lot of you want to go back to campsite xyz. Ok. Let's do that."

APL: "Looking at our advancement chart it appears Johny needs to do FC req 2, menu and cooking, and Timmy needs to do 2C req 2. Andy needs 2C req 3 and Danny needs FC req 4&5.

Patrol chatters about advancement, and ideas.

PL: "Good info. We can use that to plan our campout actitivities, and duty rosters. How about I work with Andy and Danny to plan our days activities, focusing on map, compass, hiking, plant id, etc... and you work with Tim and John on menus, shopping, cooking, fire prep etc... "

APL : "Sounds good. We should be able to have basics mapped out in about 30 minutes. Reconvene then?"

PL: "Awesome, lets get to work."

[fred8033]

2 hours ago, DuctTape said:

Any type of advancement poster, or chart is best used at the Patrol level.

Our patrols have periodically sampled remaining electives to help individuals advance, but it's always been by reviewing the scout handbooks.