Signs UP! I said SIGNS UP!

[Gonzo1]

Other than personally not yelling "Signs Up!" whenever the scout sign goes up, what is the best way to get others scouts and leaders to not yell "Signs Up!"

 

Thanks,

Gonzo

[CubScoutJo]

At the beginning of the scout year, I play a little game with the scouts. I tell them that when the sign is up, that is a secret, silent signal for them to put their sign up too and pay attention to what is coming next. I specifically make a point of saying that it defeats the purpose of it being a "silent signal", if people are yelling "Signs Up", while they do it. Then I practice with them, by telling them "Okay, make as much noise as you can until you see my sign up and then stop making noise and put your sign up". Make a short game of it,doing it a few times, varying how long they can make noise between "signs". (Warning, they WILL make a lot of noise!)

 

During a meeting or other activity, I've found that the best way to avoid having to say "signs up" is to put my sign up while catching the eye of at least one scout, and I kind of motion with my eyes for him to get the attention of another scout near him, and so on. Sometimes, you have to stand there with your sign up for several seconds, but usually someone will notice it without having to yell "Signs Up!" And then it can spread to the others.

 

Jo

 

[Oak Tree]

Jo's solution is especially effective if you can do it at a pack meeting in front of all the other parents. That way they can get the message right from the start.

 

Or, if someone doesn't quite get it, you can say to them in a private conversation, "Hey, Bob, the Scout sign is supposed to be a silent signal, and I love the way it works when it's effective. Shouting 'Sign's up' defeats that purpose. Can I ask you to stop doing that?"

 

Or, if you really want to whack them all down, if you're in a big meeting and someone shouts "Sign's up!", you can respond with "Scouts, when Mr. Smith shouted 'Sign's up!', that's something he should never have to do. Let's practice paying quick attention to the sign and we'll get the adults to promise that they won't shout for your attention." Then do the practice screaming which stops when the sign goes up, and have both groups shout their agreement to the policy - "Scouts, do you promise to pay attention to the sign?" Scouts shout "Yes!" "I can't hear you." etc... "Adults, do you promise to use the sign as a silent signal?"... "Whoops, too loud for a silent promise, maybe you should all nod your heads silently. Adults, do you promise to use the sign as a silent signal?"

 

Adjust to taste.

 

Oak Tree

[Crew21_Adv]

Gonzo,

 

Greetings!

 

Within my Troop it is only the adult leaders and SPL that do not yell "SIGNS UP". I'll explain.

 

 

During our regular meetings, we have skills instructions, patrol corners, interpatrol activity challenge, usually finishing with administrative notes, Scoutmaster's Minute and closing.

 

During the patrol corners and some skills instruction(when it's round robin style) we call it organized chaos. The volume grows louder as the patrols talk, learn or plan. (about 5 minutes of work, out of a 15 minute patrol corner, but hey, they are leading)

 

During the meeting, about half of the parents/committee members previously sat in the back of the hall. The parents in the back of the hall also enjoyed social chat. So we are now placing tables and chairs in the building foyer, so the parents can socialize out there and not cause more noise congestion.

 

Regarding Signs Up and I said SIGNS UP.....

 

After Patrol Corners, during Skills instruction or administrative notes, we need to bring the chaos back into control. When the silent signal is given for assembly, the SPL and the Adult Leaders have to remain silent as well, without yelling "Signs Up". Leaders have walked into the patrol formation and lightly tapped some boys on the shoulder and pointed towards the SPL. But the leaders usually remain silent while they are doing this.

 

Within our Troop, our normal practice is we don't encourage it, we don't discourage it, but we do allow the Scouts to say "SIGNS UP". However, we do not allow "SHUT UP" or similar comments, which crosses the line.

 

It is almost humorous, watching a new first time parent, trying to do good, but walking around yelling signs up. (The leaders usually roll their eyes as if; Oh good grief, that just defeated the purpose)

 

Granted it sometimes takes 2,3 or 4 minutes (which does seem like an eternity). But the organized chaos, usually results with an organized (semi silent) Troop, listening to the SPL.

 

Is there a trick to get a large Troop or Pack to quiet down in less than 60 seconds? Please let me know!! However, my Troop does average the eternity between 61-120 seconds.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[OldGreyEagle]

From tome to time, the phrase "signs up" has been uttered at our troop. Normally it's done once and then the Scoutmaster has a brief scoutmaster conference with the offender (youth or adult) and things are ok. The one issue we had was the "shushssssinng" , it seemed like a contest to see what ended first, the "shushssssinng" or the "signs up" finally one night after order was restored, I stepped forward and did a rift on the Tom Hanks charactor in "A League of Their Own". I said, "there is no "shushssssinng" in Boy Scouts", I went off on a few phrases about all the great scouting adventures I had experienced and ended it all with saying there is no ""shushssssinng"in Boy Scouts". It worked, so well the youth are ready to repeat that phrase as soon as someone gives a shush. Of course its done with the sign up so we still have some distance to cover

[evmori]

When I was a CM, we never yelled signs up during a Pack meeting. I would just stand there with my sign up & wait. Eventually, everyone got the message. Works well in my Troop, too.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad]

This is a really good question with some really good replies. Cubscoutjo had an excellent reply that I hope to try someday.

 

As a Cub Scout leader, if I held the sign up more then ten seconds, I took that as an indication that I wasnt doing a very good job with the program at that moment, so I changed it. But I can also see using SubscoutJos suggestions for that especially talkative cub.

 

On the troop side, we taught the scouts that the sign was to be respected and not abused. Only use it long enough to get the groups attention, no longer.

 

The sign was important in our troop because we dont yell. I didnt like yelling and didnt like my leaders to yell, adults or youth. I told them that yelling is an indication of weak leadership and that was a good time to learn a new leadership technique. We train the PLC that when anybody puts up the sign, the PLC as a team needs to respond immediately to set the example for the whole troop. If a few scouts clearly are busy in an activity and dont see the sign, then someone just needs to politely get their attention.

 

In our Troop, the adults are encouraged to never put up their sign until a scout has put his up first. If an adult personally needs the groups attention, they ask a scout to get it for them. That way the adults learn to bow to scouts as the leaders of the group.

 

There are some really good replies here that I wished I had read 15 years ago. Also I found once the group gets use to style of leadership, they follow it until someone forces a change. So consistency goes a long ways.

 

Great question and answers, thanks.

 

Barry

 

[SSScout]

Three ideas ( based on experience!):

 

1) As CM, first of the year, I would INSTRUCT. "Okay Scouts, what should I do if I have something to say that EVVEERRRYBOODDY needs to hear?" One of the older boys will mention holding up the Scout Sign, and we talk about each Cub holding up their SSign and then everybody has their SSign up and it's quiet. So we'd test it, as has been mentioned. MAKE NOISE..... Sign up.... look at watch... "25 seconds. Okay not bad. MAKE NOISE!!"... SSign up... " awright!!! 15 seconds!! getting better! Okay, we'll remember it now, won't we boys?" And on with the meeting. Each time the sign goes up, LOOK AT YOUR WATCH, and watch the reaction!

 

2) As a ASM, same concern. But this time, no instruction, I just hold it up and look at my watch and mention, "32 seconds" and go on with business. The boys all know what's up with the sign, and if things are not the best at the start of the meeting, they do get better thru the evening. The SM might bring it up in the PLC, but he and I both just look at our watches.

 

3) At our Camporeee, at Webelos Weekend, at the CS Daycamp, if I have a leadership role and as opportunity presented itself, I have mentioned my experience at the Nat Jambo with good result. The big gatherings in the open air arena, with 30,000 plus in attendance: Chief Scout on the stage holds up his sign, silent attention within 20 seconds. Wow...

 

YiS

[red feather]

In the troop that I serve as SM, when the sign goes up the scouts are given enough time to recognize that the sign is up, but when there is a group that is intense on their conversation, a secondary verbal notice is given by saying "Gentlemen". That is all it takes to get their attention and all respond.

 

It is interesting how the 'sign' works. At my dads memorial service recently about half the people there were scouts and scouters. When the pastor wanted the attention of those attending she was having trouble getting the attention those there. ( about 400) I put the sign up and when the scouts and scouters responded all got quiet. 60 or so were scouts or scouters.

 

Anyone have similar stories?

 

yis

 

red feather

 

 

[Gonzo1]

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll try them.

 

 

[scoutldr]

The organization I work for hosts a major medical conference every year. One year, I was a presenter, and as luck would have it, the projector bulb blew (I'm dating myself...this was before the power point era). It took about 15 minutes to find the A/V tech and get the bulb changed out, meanwhile about 200 people enjoyed chatting among themselves. When I was ready to go again, I just moved to the podium and quietly held my "sign" in the air. Within a few seconds, I saw grown men and women automatically putting their sign up and elbowing their neighbors, and the room grew quiet. There were enough former scouts and scouters in the audience that it worked like a charm!

 

Shortly thereafter, I submitted this story to Scouting magazine and it was accepted for printing!

 

True story!