New troop in Croatia / Meeting questions

[Klodi]

Hi all,

I'm raising a new troop and looking around the web for good scouting resources I've found this most interesting forum. Having read some topics, it seems there's bunch of experienced scoutmasters to get some advice from.

Just to introduce myself, I'm 40, and scout for 30 years. I live in Split, Croatia (country in Europe, next to Italy, just across the Adriatic sea, for those who don't know). With a group of friends, all old scouts, and our kids and their friends, we've formed a new scout group a year ago.

In Croatia, scout group is unit made of several troops. So we have 4 troops: beavers & cubs, scouts & guides, venturers, adults.

 

Well, I'm in charge of scouts and guides. (Yes, in Croatia groups are mixed, while patrols are not). So I have a patrol of 6 girls, and 2 patrols of 6 boys, all aged 11-13.

My problem is that my PLs have almost no scouting experience at all. I mean, they have learned lot of skills past year, but when it comes to leading a patrol...

 

When I was kid, first I was a member of my patrol, I gained experience, so when I became a PL, I knew exactly what to do (and I had a PL's training, of course). My PLs have had training but they lack of experience in how a patrol should be led.

 

So, having realized that, I started having troop meetings instead of patrol ones. I planned to show them how a meeting should be conducted, and gradually set more and more responsibilities on PLs. Ideally would be if I conducted each patrol's meeting separately, but that's impossible, considering my job and family duties.

 

Well, the problem now is that conducting a meeting with 18 kids seems mission impossible.

Ceremonies, playing games and so, works fine, but when it comes to more serious work (although I try hard always to make it fun), not to say making arrangements for overnights, for example - it's nightmare.

They're just so restless. And I don't want to be severe...

My next step will be having part of the meeting, the funny one, altogether, and the serious job in patrols.

Of course, I tend to go towards complete patrol method, this phase I consider just transitional.

 

I'd like to hear from you what are your experiences in conducting meetings? What's the measure between work in troop and work in patrol? Who conducts meetings?

Well, as you see, I'm interested in any experiences, advices... considering meetings.

 

Thanks in advance

 

P.S. Sorry if my English is a little broken

[EagleInKY]

Welcome to the forum. Your English is fine, by the way. (It's better than some of the folks who actually use it every day!)

 

You face a typical problem of someone starting a new unit. You have to first model for them what a good Patrol Leader and Senior Patrol Leader does. Then, over time, you gradually step away, and let the boys fill the void you leave.

 

During our first year as a troop, I or my assistant often did the job of SPL. But, we were always open about it. We'd say "we're doing this for you now, but soon you'll have to do it for yourself".

 

As for balancing time between troop and patrols, we try to provide time for each in our meetings. We also allow for some age-based work as well. For example, we could have first year guys working on some scout skills, while some second years are working on planning an upcoming Court of Honor. Meanwhile, some older scouts are talking with an assistant Scoutmaster about their Eagle project plans.

 

We generally follow the "template" from the BSA.

Pre-opening (game/gathering activity)

Opening

Skills instruction (can be age/experience-based, patrol-based, or sometimes the entire troop).

Patrol Meetings (prep for upcoming events, give info, etc.)

Interpatrol activity (some type of game or competition.

Closing

 

 

[Klodi]

Thanks for your answer EagleInKY.

 

Yes, that BSA "template" seems the best. It matches my experiences.

In my old Troop, we used to have patrol meetings weekly, and a troop meeting once a month.

But patrol leaders were much more experienced scouts, so they had knowledge how to work with a patrol, they had a role model in older scouts. Everything we're lack of in our new Troop.

 

Regular patrol meetings and occasional troop meetings is a common system in Croatia. But browsing around for other's experiences (thanks God for the web!) I realized that you in BSA have troop meetings, giving part of time to the patrols, am I right?

Well, I must say, I've started to like that idea, it seems more effective. I've already adopted it in my Troop, and I'm going to propose it to other scoutmasters.

 

Our meetings last 60 minutes, and that was fine for patrol meetings, but in this combination it seems a bit short. I'm thinking to make that 90.

I'd like to know what would be an "ideal" schedule in minutes?

 

And activities... What would be the "right" measure between troop and patrol activities?

[EagleInKY]

Ours our scheduled for 90 minutes. Occasionally we run over, seldom do we run short.

 

We're trying to drive more and more into the patrol structure. While there will always be the need for some age/experience based stuff, we want to do as much as we can in a patrol setting.

 

Once week a month we do not hold a regular troop meeting. On those nights, the patrols meet. This gives the PL a chance to run a meeting, start to finish. We've had challenges getting this to work, but we're going to continue to work on it this year. We're getting ready to start a new round of leaders, so we'll see how it develops.

[Klodi]

Yeah, 3 troop/1 patrol meeting, just the opposite as we do in Croatia. But I think you are right and we are wrong.

I talked with other scoutmasters and we agreed that we expect to much of our PLs. We expect them to make yearly and monthly plans, to plan every meeting in details considering all details of scouting method. While some of them are able to do that, the vast majority isn't. Kids as PLs are usually able to carry out specified tasks, but not to do such an abstract thing as leading a patrol well, in a good scout manner.

 

And 90 minutes, yep, that's it! And of those 90, how much for the Troop, and how much for the Patrols?

[EagleInKY]

Opening (as troop) - includes pledge/oath/law, tell them what is going on tonight. 10 minutes.

Skills instruction (can be age/experience-based, patrol-based, or sometimes the entire troop). Depends upon the subject matter, but usually 20-30 minutes.

Patrol Meetings (prep for upcoming events, give info, etc.). Again, it depends upon the amount of time needed, but generally 20-30 minutes.

Interpatrol activity (some type of game or competition. 10-20 minutes.

Closing (as a troop) - 10 minutes

 

Add in transition time and the fact that boys never complete anything on time, you easily use up the 90 minutes. In fact, they often run so long they don't get to do their activity. Once they realized they were the reason (not me), they started paying closer attention to the schedule.

[Klodi]

Thats what I needed.

Youve been most helpful, thanks again