Inspite of the Rehtoric I am going with Rotating PL In our NSP

[Its Me]

Ok, there I have said it. I am crossing the Atlantic in a canoe.

 

So I have discussed this with the SM, informed the scouts and their families and set this up with the troop guide. All are in favor of this.

 

Given that we are emaberking on this, how can I make this work as well as possible?

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by Its Me)

[Beavah]

Ah, you program tweaker you.

 

Yah, I'll leave it to others to give advice. Like I said, I'd never seen this modification around here, and I'm not sure I could make it work well.

 

Do let us know down the road what you find out, plusses and minuses!

 

Beavah

[ajmako]

Start by focusing on teaching skills, not checking off requirements. Use troop and patrol meetings to teach, then go to camp with a purpose other than "working on advancements." Let the TG take the lead in this. Let him do most of the work. The NSP-SA should be in the background. If you teach the skills like you teach a kid to tie his own shoes, and go to camp for a reason that is fun, advancement will happen. The TG should obviously know the requirements and have the authority to sign them off.

 

As far as the PL is concerned, you can make a schedule, like a duty roster and rotate the PL and APL positions through the patrol until everyone has had a position. Don't forget the other patrol positions: Scribe, Quartermaster, Grubmaster, Hikemaster, Cheermaster. Everyone in the patrol should have a job to do, and they should be expected to do it. The TG will have to teach them how to do the job, and he might need to pick up the slack from time to time. As far as possible the responsibilities given to each Scout should be real responsibilities. At each month's PLC meeting the PL does the PL's job. The TG attends as an advisor and confidence booster. Don't forget about building a real patrol with real patrol spirit--that comes from doing things as a patrol pretty much on their own.

 

Have realistic expectations and always believe the Scouts can do the job. In the words of Green Bar Bill: train 'em, trust 'em, let 'em lead. Above all, don't listen to anyone who says it won't work, or the Scouts can't handle it. If you believe, the Scouts will believe, and that's all that counts.

 

AJ

[Eagledad]

>>Ok, there I have said it. I am crossing the Atlantic in a canoe.

[EagleInKY]

I wish you luck in this. I hope it does work out for your troop. Here's a cut & paste from what I wrote in the other thread on this topic.

 

We've tried both approaches (rotating and not rotating). Here's my experience.

 

We started the first two years by electing PLs. The first went from shortly after crossover (usually in April) until August, and the second term for the full six months. This worked pretty well, and usually the "natural leaders" of the bunch were the first elected to position.

 

I then went to Woodbadge and we used the rotating PL idea. I talked to some of the other scouters who said they did it with their NSPs. I thought it sounded like a cool idea. We implemented it for the past two years. Our results have been pretty disappointing. My general feelings are (1) the boy doesn't get to stay in position long enough to learn it, so the TG ends up having to do more than he should, (2) the boys don't take it seriously because it's just a temporary position and (3) it inevitably rotates to the most unreliable young scout who chooses that month to not show up to anything because of (fill in your favorite sport/activity excuse)

 

If we ever try it again, we're going to have to do some things to address these issues. They changes would likely include rotating every two-three months (even if every scout doesn't get an opportunity). We'd work with the TG to do more coaching of the PL instead of standing in for him. We'd have to make sure the parents of the scout understand the commitment to be PL before he signed up for it.

 

I'm sure this will work with some troops in the right circumstances. It just hasn't panned out for us. Good luck.

 

[Its Me]

">>Ok, there I have said it. I am crossing the Atlantic in a canoe.

[BrentAllen]

In our NSP, the boys are going to elect a new PL every 3 months. There are 9 boys in the Patrol, so they all aren't going to get to be PL. That's fine - they should see what a PL is supposed to do, except for attending PLC's. Hopefully, that will give them enough time to get their feet wet.

Good luck!

[Eagledad]

>>That's fine - they should see what a PL is supposed to do, except for attending PLC's.

[scottteng]

I kind of like the idea of rotating PL' for the new scouts. It gives the boys that think some special power attaches to the title a dose of harsh reality."The boys don't listen to me either." When my son was new we had elections every two months but no one that had been PL before was eligible to run. All of the new PL's thought they were the answer and not part of the problem it opened some eyes when it came time for a 6 mos patrol leader none of them really relished the job

[Its Me]

 

Seeing the "new thread" I thought I would give an update on how our patrol has fared over the last five months.

 

We are now on our fifth patrol leader in our New scout Patrol. All kids covet the position and look forward to being the patrol leaders. A pattern can be seen. Every patrol leaders first week is a disaster. They get too silly or too bossy sometimes doing both in the same hour. Silliness has been a bigger problem then bossiness. By the second week things are picking up. They are starting to get comfortable with their position and the patrol is getting used tothem. I try and coach whenever I see an opportunity.

 

Interesting the boys respond most when given real responsibility. This occurs mainly on campouts where life in general is a little more serious compared to nightly meetings back at the meeting hall.

 

Meal planning is the worst. The entire room is loud and the scouts really don''t have the cooking skills to plan for more then simple meals and sandwiches. Our cooking program is weak so I don''t hold the scout or the PL fully responsible.

 

The troop guide is useless. He is indifferent, can''t relate, can''t lead and can''t control them. He doesn''t help during the menu planning; he seldom goes on campouts and in general keeps no company with the boys.

 

 

[Venividi]

ItsMe,

 

thanks for sharing the update. Good work with the new scouts. Given the work that you have been doing with the new scouts, I am assuming that the troop guide is getting similar coaching. If you are having the problems with him that you describe, as an aside to the topic, I want to remind you that, per recent statements, you either need to remove him or else have to promote him.

 

Venividi

[anarchist]

Glad to see the up-date.

 

On troop guides...I a truely convinced that it is the most important job in the troop. Not every scout can or should be a guide. We try now to give each NSP two guides and we have the ASPL ride herd on the Guides... Guides are about the only position we have "fired" scouts from,if they don''t go on NSP events they get fired fast...guess since it is not elected(?). Having two guides means they can cover for each other and hang occaisionally with their old patrol mates. One final item...NSPs tend to vote "lock step" (as a voting block) for their guide...if he is good, when SPL elections come around...Pretty good motivation to do a good job if a scout is wanting to be the troop leader...

 

On menu...experience and skill are not really needed...just guidance...a series of discussions about what they eat at home...what are their favorite, favorite foods can result in a menu. If the ASM can influence the guide or PL to just make a list of favorite foods...virtually any meal can be a campout meal with effort and some assistance. Remember, boy led should not mean adults "do nothing"...direct them to the internet, get the SPL involved...fire the guide...

 

Sometimes the adults have to step in and even if behind the curtain ("pay no attention to the man behind the curtain") they can drop hints, offer guidance, make suggestions as to resources ...kick older scouts in the butt...but it is a tremendous amount of work....

Anarchist