Question for SMs

[ScoutNut]

Kittle - T is right, your son should ask his PL who can ok his requirements & how advancement works. Each Troop is a bit different, but basically once the requirements for a rank are all signed off (by whoever the SM has approved to do the signing) your son then asks his SM for a SM conference, once he has his SM conference signed off he then requests a Board of Review. His new rank starts the date of his successful BOR. He should receive recognition of this (& probably his rank patch) in front of the Troop at their next Court of Honor (COH). He is no longer in Cub Scouts anymore Dorothy!

 

One more thing to keep in mind. Unlike Cubs, he can work on advancement requirements from more than one level at a time. For instance even though he has not received Tenderfoot, he can still work on compass for 2nd Class. At summer camp many of the 1st & 2nd Class swimming requirements can be done. Merit badges can be worked on at any time.

 

[packsaddle]

Yes. Especially if it was free time, why would anyone not listen to a boy? I think the correct passage starts, "Suffer the little children...." Mark 10:14

Or does BSA disagree on this?

[ozemu]

Kittle, bump and I always take the time (that is why I do the job).

 

Even if the Scouts PL is available I will happily do the test assessing. The PL needs time off too and (in this Troop) they work very hard. Also it is a good random check on test standards. If the Scout is not yet ready I send them back to their PL for more instruction, refer them to the fieldbook (or similar text) or teach them on the spot. Retesting at least 24 hours later.

 

Exception - if the Scout is avoiding the PL for some reason I might refer them back. Only happens occassionally but some do not recognise authority and competence amongst their slightly older peers. Some also think they will get away with more with me. They only make this assumption once.

 

The only Scout who must wait on another Scout before being passed is the older Scout who waits while I test the younger whom they trained before I pass the older as having succeeded with teach another Scout the... etc.

[kittle]

Trevorum, there would be no need for apologies. You have no way of knowing the little details unless you ask.

 

I am very new to Boy Scouts and am just trying to help my son to the best of my ability. Yes, my son's troop does work on some advancement opportunities as a group. But they wouldn't hold a scout back if he is ready. There are a couple of older boys the PL and APL that are really great with the boys and they are good about signing off anything that they have worked on with them. My son is a bit on the shy side, that is part of the reason that I asked this question. I wanted to know if I should encourage him to ask her (SM) to test and sign off or not.

 

 

[acco40]

Your son's "leader" is empowered and should be willing to listen and sign-off completed requirements. Now, in every troop, that proverbial "leader" may be the SM, a Troop Guide, his PL, the SPL or ASPL, any boy who has mastered that skill, an Instructor, etc. But beware, it differs in every troop. In our troop, I utilize NSPs (new Scout Patrols) and unfortunately we do not have any Troop Guides. I have an SA (Assistant Scoutmaster) assigned to every patrol. Right now, we only have adults signing off on requirements and I prefer to have the SA assigned to that patrol and/or me (the Scoutmaster).

 

We used to have youth signing off on requirements, and may do so in the immediate future, but we had a few too many "demonstrate water rescue" type requirements signed off in the church basement.

 

When a Scout shows initiative, reward him. That said, on one of our most recent outings a boy came to me right before dinner to go over a requirements "set" (multiple related ones). I said how about after dinner. Right after dinner he wanted to play by the waterfront. After that, he wanted to play capture the flag. The next day, his mother gave me a tongue lashing because I did not accommodate her son's wishes.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[Lynda J]

I have heard this "you can't get it signed off until all the other boys have completed it" so many times before it makes me see red.

Heard it more when I was working in Cubs.

Each boy should be working at his own pace. I an the ASM over the new patrols for our troop. This year we ended up with 4 newboys. I worked with them on their skills and when a boy was able to sucessfully complet a skill I signed off his book. Didn't matter if anyone else in the group had completed it or not. I will always be available for any boy in our troop that wants to be tested on skills.