Need help understanding the adult power structure of a troop. Sources requested.

[fred8033]

On 8/8/2022 at 2:32 PM, curious_scouter said:

... We are about to rebalance our patrols to start the year.  ...

 

4 hours ago, elitts said:

...  What will typically happen is scouts will self select into something that resembles age based patrols just because they'll choose to move in small friend groups.  A group of 5 twelve year olds might join the Fox Patrol because they like some aspect of it.  Then the last 2 fifteen year olds will get through 6 months with the 12 year olds and get annoyed so they'll join the Eagle Patrol because there are 3 other fifteen year olds in it etc..  Traditional patrols don't typically end up with a full mix of 10-17 year old kids.  Particularly if you add in at least one "Older scout patrol".

I'm burnt out on the discussion of same age / new scout / mixed age / etc for patrol design.

I wanted to add though ... the worst mistake our troop ever did was rebalance the patrols where the SPL and the ASPL based on input from a strong-willed parent rebalanced by assigning scouts to new patrols.  Horrible mistake.  The first / second year scouts took it easy.  The 16/17 year old scouts almost quit.  

I'm highly for letting the scouts choose their patrol ... always ... with a little bit of supportive guidance from SM / SPL.  Let the scouts switch patrols if they want.  I just hate telling the scouts here's who you will be your partner all weekend.  It's the number one way to create scouts that ignore what you say.  

I still remember the 16/17 year old scouts who had strong ownership of their Wolverine patrol.  Learned at an Eagle COH that they choose the name because they loved the movie Red Dawn and that was the team mascot in the movie.  They had strong patrol ownership.  Proud.  Then, being told to (in their eyes) arbitrarily join a random new patrol.  It destroyed a point of pride they had.

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by fred8033