Merit Badges done during Troop mettings

[Bob White]

Packsaddle,

the district and council committees and professionals have no authority within units until a violation of policy or regulations occur.

 

We cannot force a unit to use good program methods. That is the responsibility of the adult leaders in the unit. COs who approve poor leaders must suffer their choice or commit to change.

 

The Council and District can only make training and support available the quality of the program rests in the hands of the integrity of the individual leader.

 

Bob White

[Eagledad]

>>How many troops do merit badges as part of there meeting time?? I feel that should not be done but it is.

[OldGreyEagle]

From page 26-27 of the Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures book

 

"To the fullest extent possible, the merit badge counseling relationship is a counselor-Scout arrangement in which the boy is not only judged on his performance of the requirements, but receives maximum benefit from the knowledge, skill, character, and personal interest of his counselor. Group instruction and orientation are encouraged where special facilities and expert personnel make this most practical, or when Scouts are dependent on only a few counselors for assistance. However, this group experience should be followed by attention to each individual candidate's projects and his ability to fulfill all requirements."

 

Does that help?

[CubsRgr8]

If a PLC wants to offer a 30 minute MB session as a part of a troop meeting, I think that's OK, IF the PLC also provides an alternate activity for scouts who aren't interested AND the PLC publicizes the offerings well in advance of the particular meeting.

 

Bob White, you said: the district and council committees and professionals have no authority within units until a violation of policy or regulations occur.

 

Just how astray from the BSA program does a unit have to wander before it is considered a violation of policy? Every year, for every unit, the council renews a unit's charter. Unfortunately, I don't get the impression that charter renewal ever involves a review of the unit's conformance to the BSA program. Maybe it should.

[Bob White]

This is an often traveled road that for some reason many volunteers still do not understand.

 

The BSA has poilicies and regulations. Rules that every member and charter organization must follow to remain members and avoid litigation. These policies cover Membership, Uniforming, Safety, and Advancement. These rules are found for the most part in The Guide to Safe Scouting, The Insignia Guide, The Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures manual, The Unit Money Earning Applicatiion, the Membership Application, and the Shared Responsibilities Agreement renewed each year in the annual charter application.

 

Everything else in the scouting program are methods, guidelines, and best practices developed over the years by the BSA. It relies on the personal integrity of the volunteers to follow in order to deliver a quality "scouting" program to youth.

 

If the leader does not keep the promises made to the youth in their handbook, if they do not use the methods of the scouting program, if the charter organization just wants to do stuff in a scout uniform that is their choice of the type of program they want to offer. It won't be scouting but until they violate a policy, all we can do on the council and district level is coach, educate and pray that they will either change or leave, and make room for someone willing to lead a scouting program. That independence is part of the Congressional Charter.

 

Bob White

[Twocubdad]

Excellent post, Eagledad. That's the most reasonable and rational approach to the subject I've heard. I'm printing it and sticking in a file.

 

[CubsRgr8]

Bob White, thanks for the prompt response and clarification. As a troop committee member, I feel it is one of my responsibilities to make sure the adult leadership lives up to the policies as articulated in these publications. I've got a copy of everything you mentioned, except the Shared Responsbilities Agreement (SRA). Is a new SRA (with the most current BSA verbage) processed with every charter renewal or does the charter renewal paperwork refer to the (original?) SRA? In the 80 years the troop I serve has existed, I must imagine the wording has changed. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

[bt01]

>>How many troops do merit badges as part of there meeting time?? I feel that should not be done but it is.

[Bob White]

The problem with merit badge classes as a side event during troop meeting is that the major purposes of troop meetings are patrol planning, patrol development and leadership practice. The patrol leader cannot lead a divided group. he cannot lead if he is a participant in a class.

 

Troop meetings are fine for introducing MBs but the program is specific that troop meeting are not for MB class. Can you do it in the troop you serve? Sure, you can also play dodge ball the entire meeting. It's up to you what kind of program the scout gets. It can be as bad as you choose it to be. If you determine that the quality and purpose is to gain merit badges than using leadership developmentm skill practice and activity planning time is a good way to meet your goals. But it is not good scouting.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Eamonn]

Take 6 or 8 Scouts.

Take a book with over 200 different Activities.

Ask them to choose one and only one that they all want to do.

Then ask if Merit Badges ought to be done at Troop meetings.

If all you are doing at your Troop meetings is First Aid and Knots, take a look at the pages of Scouting Magazine (The ones in the middle)

Eamonn

[beaver1onit]

There are a lot of good opinions on the subject. The one thing everone forgot what we were taught in training AIMS & METHODS of scouting. The program works if you give it a chance. YES!! it takes time time to sit with the PLC to work on a program that works for your troop. You are not giving the boys the full benefit of the program.The program has been tried and tested and it works. It seems like the path to Eagle has to be a smooth path without any bumps. A merit badge is suppose to be a personal thing one on one,if done in a group setting most boys will sit back and let a few do the work and just slide by. We are trying to teach the boys life skills etc. how to make a phone call,how to talk with adults,be responsile for the work,show up on time etc.this will not happen in a group setting. Why must some people try and change the program to fit their needs. I know there are a lot of block heads that have been around a long time and won't change no matter what.

[packsaddle]

Bob White, you stated, "The Council and District can only make training and support available the quality of the program rests in the hands of the integrity of the individual leader."

I quite agree up to the point where the Council and District DO NOT "make training and support available". This leader knows what is supposed to be in place, as well as what the program should be. But I am a lone voice and the Council and District seem to be satisfied with the status quo of troops fending for themselves. New leaders adopt the status quo from the existing majority and Council and District quietly acquiesce by accepting advancment accomplished with unregistered, untrained counselors. I see the Council and District as part of the problem.

[Eagledad]

Good Day All

 

>> Ask them to choose one and only one that they all want to do.

Then ask if Merit Badges ought to be done at Troop meetings.

If all you are doing at your Troop meetings is First Aid and Knots, take a look at the pages of Scouting Magazine (The ones in the middle)

[mk9750]

Eagledad has the right idea, I think. We did the auto mechanics theme two years ago (man, it's been THAT long?). The SPL assigned a boy to contact a car dealership and got us a mechanic who volunteered to bring us into the shop, where he went over all of the basic maintenance needs of a car and how to do them, and a real nice presentatation on what to watch for to identify potential problems. The next few weeks, boys rotated tires, changed oil, replaced headlamps, and about 10 other things on mom's and dad's cars. the guys who had their own cars really got a lot out of this.

 

The PLC tried to push this as a MB, and even got the mechanic to register as a counselor. Not one guy pursued the badge, but there was so much value from doing this. now that some of the then 14 year olds are driving, they're talking about doing it again.

 

Mark

 

[KoreaScouter]

Every one of the themes in Troop Program Resources relates directly to more than one MB. Planned and presented properly, the monthly program to include meetings and outings will present advancement opportunities, including rank advancement and MB requirements. An important distinction, though, is that by themselves, the monthly program plans do not satisfy all the requirements for any MB. The onus is still on the individual Scout to do the work, meet the counselor, and complete the requirements.

 

So, in a sense, almost everything we do at a Troop meeting can be instruction for some MB, particularly those tied to the monthly theme. It's up to the Scouts who want to earn that particular MB to realize that and take advantage of that opportunity.

 

BSA is very clever. The montly themes are designed so that they are relevant to any Scout, from a newly-bridged 10 1/2 year old, to the 17 year old Eagle. If you're teaching MB classes at your troop meetings, that relevance will go away for many Scouts. The 17 year old Eagle already has the badge, so why go to the meeting? The 10 1/2 year old Scout can't relate to Chemistry, is too young to care about auto mechanics, or just doesn't want the badge, but is having it force fed to him, so why go to the meeting? The meetings should have something for everybody.

 

Again, it's a lot easier to pick a "badge of the month", read the pamphlet at Troop meetings, stuff blue cards down their throats, and call it Scouting, than it is to go through the pain of actual program planning with the PLC, with all its messiness, and conduct real 7-part Troop meetings.

 

KS