Patrol Spirit

[OneHour]

Wow, what a year can do. Although we are not where we should be in terms of patrol method, but as the advertisement goes ... "we have come a long way!"

 

Just came back from our District Camporee with 30 boys (20 of whom are new scouts)! It was a great feeling to see that these tenderfeet and second classes of a year ago have developed into great stars and lifers. They sat down and tought the new scouts lashings. They got the new boys to learn how to cook for themselves. They played with them ... and so on. This something that they did not get to experience.

 

Another thing that was great is the patrol spirits are developing! With the SPL, they created a marching cadence that they proudly chanted throughout the camprout competition. Some of these boys who were complaining about competing at the various competitions last year are looking forward to going to each of the competition. One patrol even won first place in two of the more difficult events, orienteering (their team was one of the only 3 that finished the course) and catapult.

 

Needless to say, I was beaming from ear to ear. It's a start of a good thing, the 20 new, young scouts took notice of this thing calls the patrol method!

 

Now ... total boy lead is next on our list and we have a good start!

 

1Hour

 

ps: yes, this was also possible because of the leadership of our new, young SPL! All of the scoutmasters congratulated him for a job very well done!(This message has been edited by OneHour)

[DugNevius]

Well clearly the lack of experienced leadership and older scouts was a large part of the problem here. This seems to be an example against patrols by age and rank.

[OneHour]

Actually, the 20 new scouts are divided up into two new scout patrols. Our Star and Life scouts are in two patrols that were started two years ago when they first came into the troop. We have a fifth patrol that is made up of most Tenderfeet and Second Class, the patrol from last year recruiting season. They elected to keep their patrol intact after their first year. Finally, we have the oldest scout patrol. They are the ones who do not show up at all, but still want their eagles!

 

In our troop, after one year, the new scout patrol(s) can elect to be dispersed amongst the otheer patrols or remain intact. So far all have elected to remain intact because of the friendship that they have built.

 

1Hour

[Bob White]

One Hour, It sounds like you have an excellent patrol system going. What is your New Scout retention rate during the first 12 months?

 

BW(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[FScouter]

Sounds like the program is working well for you. A good testimonial too that a patrol of young inexperienced Scouts can succeed without being mixed up with older experienced Scouts.

[OneHour]

Bob, our retention rates are as follows:

 

NSP 2 years ago: 24 came in, 15 remained or 62.5% retention (these left for various reasons ... the first year of their scouting career was filled with controversy ... 3 left because of sports, 3 left do to family relocations, 2 left because of parents' divorce, 1 left because parents want nothing to do with the new scout leaders)

 

NSP last year: 7 came in, 5 remained or 71% retention (one left for hockey, 1 left because of his night terror/claustrophobic condition).

 

NSP this recruiting season (as of March): 23 came in ... 23 remained or 100% retention rate.

 

I would not claim that we have an excellent patrol system, yet, but we are trying. We are hoping to use the new scout patrols to generate the excitement and the patrol method back into the troop.

 

We are happy with the progress of our troop so far. We still have a long way to go, but a footstep in the right direction, nevertheless. I think that I have begun to burn the idea that these boys need to take over the troop completely! It was beautiful to see four of our troop guides sat there at the Camporee and worked with the new scouts on lashings and compass! As Barry says it so eloquently every time:

 

I love the scouting stuff!

 

1Hour

 

ps: This does not say anything about our oldest scouts who do not care for taking part in this "reborn" troop. They liked the way it was where the old scoutmaster ran everything for them and allowed them do whatever they want even if it does not conform to G2SS. I can tell that retention rate because they come and go as they please. We see them from time to time when they needed something, especially towards their eagle requirements! Yes, they have done their required time and position!(This message has been edited by OneHour)

[Bob White]

Don't sell what you have done short one-hour. You have stuck to learning and following the program and the results continue to improve as you become more adept at the process. Nothing in the world wrong with 100% retention. That felloing you got watching the TGs work with the new scouts is called "Scouting". You are doing just fine.

 

One real great thing to get in the habit of doing now is don't answer questions. Instead show genuine interest in what the scouts own answer to his question is. Support his ability to make his own decisions. As long as he is not going to get hurt or hurt others then let them come to their own decision even if you doubt it will work. Learn to say "I think you ought to try it and see what happens, let me know how it works."

 

Your trust in their ability to make their own decision will give them the confidence to make more decsions.

 

Keep doin what you're doin!

[OneHour]

My favorite questions to their questions are:

 

"What would you do?"

"How would you do it?"

"Who could you ask?"

"... then do it!"

 

Needless to say ... they hate a question as an answer!

[Bob White]

Something to consider. This approach can be frustrating for the scout if it is percieved as a challenge or a scold. Try to make it more of a mentoring approach. "Thats a good question, how would you like to see it handled?" Let the scout reply the ask, what made you choose that solution?" Let the scout reply, "Can you see any reason why you shouldn't try that?" Let the scout reply. "Then why not try it, see how it works, let me know I'd be interested in how it turned out". "I think you make some very good decisions."

 

BW

[OneHour]

Bob, don't get me wrong. I do make sure that it is phrased in a way that is very supportive and encouraging, but thanks for the pointers. We have the FFPS soccer down here (Fun Fair Positive Soccer). The parents and coaches are programmed to provide positive feedback ... to the point of taking pages off of the "Leave It to Beaver", "My 3 Sons" ... script! Having sons on this league, I have been thoroughly brainwashed! It's great!

 

1Hour

[Bob White]

Wonderful!

[Kudu]

 

If no one else has actually come out and said it, I think that a Patrol taking off on a high-adventure activity on the same weekend as a Camporee is the very definition of "Patrol Spirit."

 

The message that I see being sent to the younger Scouts is that older boys have different interests, and are capable of undertaking more challenging adventures because of their size, strength, and (ideally) maturity. Another message is that as boys get older, girls, cars, and jobs take up an increasing amount of time. If despite all that, they are still camping as a Patrol, then you are doing something right.

 

You also mention that they like to play "Capture the Flag," rather than sit around a campfire. When organized by themselves and played using Patrols as the opposing teams, Wide Games are very much a part of the older "tradition" of Scouting, and a more healthy sign of Patrol Spirit than any adult-supervised Camporee competition could ever be.

 

For those who are interested, a collection of 84 traditional Wide Games can be found at The Inquiry Net:

 

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/games/wide

 

This weekend our Troop's older Scout Patrols will camp with the Troop on Friday night, but then set off on their own backpacking trip. Nothing too challenging, just a four mile jaunt to finish a Camping Merit Badge requirement on which they are all working together.

 

In case you haven't guessed, I hate "Camporees." For one thing they violate my first (and most important) rule of Troop car-camping, which is "No Patrol is allowed to camp in a Patrol site visible from another Patrol's campsite (preferably out of earshot too)" This, of course, is problematic in a typical Camporee in our area, which almost always takes place in manicured public parks, the very essence of what Baden-Powell described as "Parlour Scouting."

 

That being said, my younger Scouts love the competitions and the patches, and as often as I try to discourage them from attending, the Patrol Leaders vote unanimously to attend, with more enthusiasm than necessary, I might add :-)

 

I have thought of registering each Patrol going to a Camporee as a separate Troop to space them apart, or even sending each Patrol to a Camporee in a different district :-)

 

Next month we are attending an "invitational" multi-Troop campout. I am going to try to talk the organizers into allowing our Patrols to scatter along an unused dirt road I saw there last year. I'm sure that this will go against the grain of having each Troop in a nice neat rectangular area, but it doesn't hurt to ask, right?