Re: Scout Not Advancing

Ronald W. Fox wrote:
>
><snip>
>
> O.K.: are there any questions you might specifically add for a BOR of a
> Scout who was not there to advance, but to explore why he was advancing
> and what can be done about it?
>

Hi, Ron,

I think you're asking me what I ask a Scout who's NOT advancing why he's
not advancing. I don't send a boy before a BoR or send him to our SM
for a SM's conference. Instead, I handle it privately, man to boy.

If he's one of the Scouts in my New Scout Patrol, then I usually wait
until I've got a chance to talk to the boy during the Scout meeting
without his buddies listening in and say, "Hey, Scout, you seem to be
having trouble working on the rank requirements. You know I'd really
like to see you make Eagle some day, and you need to make First Class so
that you can take advantage of those merit badges you [may] have
earned. What do I need to do to help you get going again?"

And if he says, "I don't know," as they so often do, then I say, "Would
you like to work with me [and one of my Guides or another Troop 6 adult]
at my house on a night other than Scout night? I will, you know. I
really want you to get back in the swing of things. What do you say?"

Now, if the boy is a Star or a Life Scout that hasn't been attending any
of my Tuesday night Citizenship MB classes (I teach all three
Citizenships, one after the other, all during the school year), and I
know that he needs one or more of these badges, then I offer to start an
additional MB class on a different week night to accommodate his
schedule. I promise him that if he can't find another Scout to take the
class with him then I'll arrange for another Troop 6 adult to work with
us (so that we stay within the Youth Protection guidelines).

And if he says that he doesn't want to work on a Citizenship MB right
now, then I ask him which MB he does want to earn. I press him to give
me an answer right then. If I can teach it, then I tell him that I'll
do so, and that I'll get another adult to work with us on the evening
(or weekend day) of his choice. If I can't teach it, then I promise him
that I'll find someone who can, and that I'll offer myself to that
person as the second adult (so I can teach it some day). Then I press
him to tell me when he wants to meet, offering to talk to his folks to
set things right if they need persuading.

I'm getting ready to do the above with a 15-year-old First Class Scout
who, as far as I know, hasn't earned a merit badge. He knows that I'll
do all this for him because another Scouter and I ran a "remedial" Trail
To First Class program for him a couple of years ago.

Now, how can I do all this? I make sure to leave the office by 5:00
each evening, I don't have children, and my loving wife is as interested
as I am in helping the next generation to grow up "mentally awake and
morally straight."

The blacksmithing Scouter,
Drew

--
Andrew Hagemann, Eagle '69 <hagemann@visi.net>
SA, New Scout Patrol, Troop 6 (Colonial Virginia Council)
A "Charging" Buffalo, SR-158 / Jamboree '97 Metal Work MB Booth
CoordinatorCoordinator

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