Using the "Old Goat" Patrol

[SeattlePioneer]

 

 

 

 

The troop I'm working with has eight scouts in 1.5 patrols.

 

That makes it tough to model good scouting behavior, from lining up for opening ceremony to having a menu and roster posted.

 

I've been experimenting by encouraging the adult leaders to act as an "Old Goat" Patrol, ("Silverbacks," actually) to try to model good scouting behaviors. Signing up for trips promptly, preparing menues and duty rosters, having the Scouts inspect the Silverback camp according to Camporee standards and so on. Besides, many of these things just need to be done anyway, and adults can be slack in uniforming just like scouts and need inspections as reminders.

 

Generally speaking, I don't think it's a good practice to have Scouts competing with adults. But this isn't really intended to be competition, but rather as leadership by example.

 

 

Comments?

 

 

 

[purcelce]

Sounds like your on the right path to showing the proper patrol method.

 

Keep it up

[Bob White]

OK, I give up. What is half a patrol?

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

 

 

 

One where the PL and APL are unavailable for camping trips much of the time due to sports commitments, and the partol barely functions as a result.

 

At camporee, the few other boys remaining in the patrol will wind up competing with the other patrol.

 

 

I'm not happy aboutr that, but find I must work around it, so far anyway.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

 

[Bob White]

It would seem you would be better off with one patrol until you can recruit more boys.

[SR540Beaver]

With only eight boys, you are better off with only one patrol. It presents problems such as not having a competitive factor since one patrol can't compete agains themselves. We started a new troop last June and only had enough boys for one patrol. In that case, we did not elect an SPL. The PL was acting SPL. We picked up 6 new boys this past month. Now we have our former patrol and a new boy patrol. We've held elections for SPL and the 2 PL positions. With 8 boys, make one patrol with one PL who fulfills the role of SPL until you have more boys.

 

BTW, at election time we make our expectations known about what we expect out of the PL. If they are involved in sports, perhaps it is better for them to wait until the season is over to run for PL. There are other positions of responsibility open to them that won't require the same level of activity as PL that they could do during their sports season. You're cutting your own throat by letting someone you know will not be available to be elected for a position. Could you imagine electing a US President that spends a lot of time vacationing at a ranch when their is work to be done? Oh wait......never mind.

[KoreaScouter]

We are also "Old Goats", and model what we hope is planning, organization, campsite setup, menus, and teamwork worthy of emulation. We don't structure it as a competition, but more of a "static display". Also, we deliberately plan to cook more than we can eat, and after we've eaten (we include the SPL/ASPL/Guide on our menu plan), the SPL offers samples to the rest of the critters. That's caused some trickle-down, too.

 

KS

[schleining]

I tend to agree that you might want to go down to 1 patrol.

 

We started a new Troop last year also. We had 5 boys.

We had 1 Patrol, we elected a PL for a 6 month term. At the end of the 6 month Term we held JLT and had all 5 boys attend.

The JLT was held in January, knowing we would pick up more Scouts at Cross over in February.

We picked up 6 new Scouts in February and split the patrol up and made two patrols and then elected a SPL.

The Patrols are 5 Scouts each and the SPL takes turns preparing, cooking and camping with each Patrol on each Campout.

I have 3 assistant Scoutmasters plus committee members that often camp.

We always establish a Patrol campsite and demonstrate the Patrol method. Working as a team, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining our Campsite so the boys can see what "right looks like".

 

Anyway it seems to work for us.

 

I think the Adult leaders need to be constantly reminded, even if everything is going great, that we are here to teach, coach, and train these youngsters. Using the methods outlined in the Program to achieve the Aims. The boys respond well to visual stimulation and seeing what they should look like is a great teaching tool.

 

Good luck to you, sounds like you got things going in the right direction.

 

Jerry

SM

[SeattlePioneer]

I appreciate the reassurance that using an adult patrol to model good scouting practices is a, well --- a good scouting practice.

 

So I'm continueing to promote that concept. A couple of weeks ago, I posted signup for the adult "Silverback" Patrol for the Camporee this weekend, along with signups for the duty roster and menues people would cook. I was first to sign up, sign up for a meal and post the menue. Then last week, the SM signed up for a meal and posted his menue. This week, the remaining Silverbacks completed the signup.

 

Hopefully, that will establish the practice, and then perhaps the Scouts will take the hint that such things can be done easily and simply.

 

I spent part of today making a "Silverback" patrol flag. Here's the line drawing I found, transferring the design to some cloth using carbon paper and then outlining it with a permanent marker. Nothing fancy, but perhaps it will reinforce the idea of a separate adult patrol.

 

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/apes/gorilla/gorillasimple.shtml

 

I also found a small stuffed gorilla at a thrifts shop. When I find a staff for the flag, I'll find a way to tie our mascot on the staff in some way.

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

Taking a chance on being seen as too silly

[SemperParatus]

So the idea of the 'Silverbacks' is that the scouts ape ya'?

[SeattlePioneer]

Well Semper, I'm going to suppose that's a serious question rather than a joke.

 

Silverbacks are adult gorillas ---hence the idea of associating "Silverbacks" with the adult Scouter Patrol. Also, most of the adult Scouters are in their forties or fifties, and tending to be silvery in the hair department, assuming they are lucky enough to have much hair.

 

The Silverback name was contibuted by the Troop Committee chair, and I liked it immedietely.

 

Howwever, when I was typing up the roster a few days later, I had to notice that we have some lady Scouters as well, and strictly speaking, Silverbacks are adult MALE gorillas.

 

That gives me pause. Do you think we should choose another name in the interests of having a name that both male and female Scouters can identify with? Lady Scouters might not object, but might still find such a name offensive.

 

Opinions on that issue are solicited.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

[Bob White]

Well I have noticed that a few scouters who almost always post the same way I do have not said anything on this I think I might know why.

 

So I will go ahead and express how I feel on this.

I am not a huge fan of adult patrols on scout outings. While there are far worse things you can do as leaders there are also better things. Too often these "adult patrols" get so distracted with there own group that they fail to do the job they are there for, and that is to observe evaluate and develop the junior leaders.

 

The Scoutmaster's job is not to be an adult patrol leader, it is to be the Scoutmaster and the jobs are vastly different.

 

This is the boys troop and not the adults the more the adults draw attention to themselves the less ownership the boys will feel.

 

As I say there are far worse things you can do as an adult leader, but there are far better ways to teach a scout or a junior leader.

 

I would much rather see the adults freely associating and helping each other volunteering to do tasks not because they were assigned but because they see the need and choose to pitch in. After all that is the final effect we are trying to achieve with the scouts and that is the example we should be setting the example of. The ability to be independent with the skill, and the willingness to help others at all times.

 

 

BW

[FScouter]

Adult patrols are sometimes used in adult leader trainings to demonstrate parts of the patrol method. Other than that, I think the adult patrol idea is silly.

[Oak Tree]

I'm in favor of using adult patrols as a low-key, static display. The adults do need to sign up, they need to eat, etc. Giving them a patrol name doesn't seem all that harmful. Most groups seem to do it in the right spirit, not to distract from the boys.

 

Your mileage may vary.

 

Oak Tree

[evmori]

Adult patrols can be a good model for youth patrols to follow if the adult patrol operates as if they were a youth patrol according to the Patrol Method.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10