Troop Programs

[dan]

Does your troop use the monthly program guide and follow the monthly program?

Does your troop use the monthly program meeting plan sheet either from the Scoutmaster handbook or from the Scouting magazine? Does your troop make a written agenda for campouts?

If you do the above does the PLC decide the program and write up or does a leader write it up?

The reason I am asking is that I feel my sons troop is a little loose at planning.

I feel that if we help the scouts learn to plan meetings, campouts, and COH better and in writing it will only make for a better troop and stronger leaders.

The PLC makes all the decision for the programs, but I believe with a little better communication, we will be all on the same page. Leaders and Scouts.

This troop has 80 boys, this is the only way I can think of so all scouts and leaders are on the same page.

I am a big fan of using the program that is already laid out in the program guide, with a little tweaking, and following the monthly program, It seems it would be easier to follow this than plan an whole meeting when it has already been done. It took me 2 years in Cub Scouts b4 I started using the program guide, that made the den leaders easier and more rewarding for the scouts.

Thoughts and ideas please, I am getting ready to discuss this with the Scoutmaster.

 

 

[sst3rd]

So Dan,

 

You're getting ready to discuss this with the Scoutmaster????!!!! Are you ready to become the new Scoutmaster????!!!

Seriously, allow the Scoutmaster the opportunity to review with you how the Troop's program planning is currently done.

In our Troop, the monthly program theme provided by the BSA is offered, but usually is not used. I've collected years of these "Program Helps," and I've seen where they tend to be rotated every couple of years by the BSA. However, because I have so many of these themes collected, there's usually a general theme that we use about every other PLC meeting. Camping, cooking, engineering, winter camping, sports, conservation, first aid, etc.; these never go out of style, but the Scouts also come up with their own unique themes as well. Give the PLC the flexibility to remind them that this is THEIR program, and are responsible for it.

Be careful.....

[SagerScout]

we don't use the feature-of-the month from the magazine, but our meetings improved and our SPL's stress level was greatly reduced when he and the PLC started utilizing the program feature guide.

 

julia

 

[ScouterPaul]

Since we are a brand new troop we are trying to get things started off right. We use the planning sheet from the Scoumasters Handbook and we do have a written agenda for campouts. We as leaders prepared the first agenda which included menus, gear ect. We are following the new patrol method with each Scout getting a turn at PL and APL. We had the PL and APL sit in and watch our planning session for the campout. We then had them sit in on the post campout critique, and yes we forgot a number of things. For our second campout the PL and APL during a patrol meeting planned their menu and gear. We met with the PL and APL and critiqued their list, and yes the forgot a number of things. Here is our method: First we do they watch, second we do they help, third they do we help and fourth they do we watch. We are trying to install the importance of planning on our Scouts. Plan your work and work your plan!!!!

[dan]

sst3rd

Well I have had my meeting with the scoutmaster and guess what I am not the scoutmaster.

The Scoutmaster and I have a very good realtionship and he is looking for input to help the troop continue to prosper. Communcaton is a 2 way street.

I really beleive that the program help would help the troop, it could be a starting point for the PLC, once new or different ideas are brought up, it usually will make left side of the brain start to work more (this is called brainstorming).

The scoutmaster does not want to use the program help, but we talked about it and I got my ideas out!

As one of my bosses once said if your not changing you are moving backwards!

Our campouts have gotten into a rut same theme same actvities for each monthly campout, I am trying to help the PLC and the scoutmaster make a better program.

I want the PLC to plan the activites like it says to do in the Scoutmaster handbook, Have a plan, we seem to be winging it.

 

Thank you for the feedback SSt3rd, Scoutpaul,and SagerScout.

[sst3rd]

Dan,

 

Sounds like the direction to go in. We've got our new youth leaders in the middle of training, so their eyes are getting opened. We just had our Annual Troop Planning Roundtable, so these new leaders will be putting together the Troop's 2002-2003 calendar this August. The Program Helps are a good place to start. Yes, brainstorming is good if done in an organized fashion.

sst3rd (anderson)