Wood Badge Preparation

[OaklandAndy]

I'll be going through the Wood Badge process next Spring and I was curious if I should be preparing anything ahead of time. From what I understand it's supposed to be a very knowledgeable. I don't know a whole lot about it except I was told I should go and that there's a lot of leadership training I can take back to my pack. 

[Eagledad]

There will be some exercises (Tickets) during and after the course designed to help you understand how to perform you responsibilities better with the intention  of making your scouting experience easier and more enjoyable. Those exercises have the most impact if you know what is expected of you. I would sit down with your adult ream and have a discussion of their expectations for you.  Then you can build your tickets around those expectations.

Also, a lot of times the course and the exercises bring to view that to some folks that they may not be the right person for those units expectations. They choose to change positions and build yoeir exercises around the new position. I know of one Cubmaster who was also the Webelos leader and Tiger leader. The course showed her that she would have a lot more impact on the pack and also enjoy scouting more if she gave up Webelos Leader and Leader postions and instead focus on recruiting good adults for those positions. Another leader realized that his skill set would provide more impact at the District level instead of the unit level. Scouting should be as much fun for adults as the scouts. 

As for the rest of the course, "enjoy".

Barry

[fred8033]

#1   Don't stress it.  Make it fun.  Enjoy the course.  

#2  Not necessary as you will have plenty, plenty of time during the course, but google woodbadge ticket ideas.  Lots out there.  For example, https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2016/04/19/favorite-wood-badge-ticket-item/

#3  BIGGEST ONE ... Like in scouting, you will learn more from how the course is run than anything explicitly said.  IMHO, it's like scouting as I think the best lessons are natural lessons learned by doing something else. 

[OaklandAndy]

1 hour ago, Eagledad said:

a lot of times the course and the exercises bring to view that to some folks that they may not be the right person for those units expectations.

It's funny you mention that because I've been thinking that I'm better suited as a Cubmaster rather than the Committee Chair. While I would like to think I'm "decent" at being a CC, it is not the side that gets to have all the fun all the time. 

48 minutes ago, fred8033 said:

google woodbadge ticket ideas

From what i understand, it can be from the unit level on up?

[fred8033]

1 hour ago, OaklandAndy said:

From what i understand, it can be from the unit level on up?

Don't stress the ticket.  It's part of the course.  If you want to learn more about it.  Best way to prepare for the course, prepare your camping gear.    ... When you get there, do your best to make friends and watch how things work.  

• http://woodbadge.org/the-wood-badge-ticket/
• http://woodbadge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Ticket-Workbook.pdf

Wow ... Either my memory is bad or the tickets have changed.  My reading shows the ticket system has changed over the last 15 years. 

[mrjohns2]

1 hour ago, fred8033 said:

My reading shows the ticket system has changed over the last 15 years. 

How do? How do you recall it? That is also from 2017. They did a major’ish revamp in 2020 and hacked another day off. 1 two day and 1 three day weekends now. 

[fred8033]

17 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

How do? How do you recall it? That is also from 2017. They did a major’ish revamp in 2020 and hacked another day off. 1 two day and 1 three day weekends now. 

"I THOUGHT" ... and it's been a long time ...

• it was tickets (5 tickets).   Now one ticket with 5 individual goals. 
• Categorization ... Tickets were categorized (personal, unit, district/council, etc)  ... Now "strengthens me" versus "strengthens my group".   Plus, one must have a diversity aspect.
• Added listing personal values
• Added description of scouting role
• Added statement of success
• The ticket workbook smells like the Eagle project workbook.  
  • http://woodbadge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Ticket-Workbook.pdf
• Doesn't always feel like the word "goal" is used correctly.

Whole things has been revamped.   Very different.  

Edited May 11, 2022 by fred8033

[MikeS72]

On 5/11/2022 at 2:04 PM, OaklandAndy said:

From what i understand, it can be from the unit level on up?

Ideally a ticket should be directly related to your primary role in Scouting.  Cub related, Scouts BSA related, District or Council related etc.

[Bowline]

There really isn’t any prep other than clearing your calendar.  
 

yes there are some post course goals to work.  You get 18 months to finish those   Find something in scouts you want to learn more about are want to get involved with. Bring those ideas to the class.  But don’t start working on them until after the course.