Re: Scoutmaster Conferences
Anthony J. Mako (ajmako@APK.NET)
Wed, 5 Feb 1997 09:49:40 -0500
There has been a great deal of discussion recently concerning
Scoutmaster Conferences. While many of the posts to the list
concerning this subject showed that a great deal of thought and
research has been done to get to the underlying meaning of the
Scoutmaster's Conference, I think more emphasis has been placed on
defining the conference rather than looking at its place in the
advancement process.
When I was a Scout, what is now known as the Scoutmaster Conference,
was known as the Personal Growth Agreement Conference (1970's). While
that name sounds like a lot of psychobabble, it is a good description
of what the conference was intended to accomplish. The initial
conference takes place upon completing the joining requirements. It is
during this conference that a Scout learns a little about his
Scoutmaster, and what is expected of him as a Scout. It is also an
opportunity for the Scout and Scouter to develop a relationship where
the Scout feels comfortable talking about difficult subjects to the
adult.
The ultimate goal of the Scoutmaster conference is to set a goal. In
the process of setting the goal for the next rank, the Scout is
encouraged to evaluate his performance since the last conference. The
Scoutmaster's job in this conference is not to retest the Scout's
abilities, but to test his personal growth. We want to find out how
the Scout has grown, what he has learned, and how prepared he is to
meet more difficult tests in the future.
As a Scoutmaster, I want to find out how prepared a Scout is to face
the Board of Review. I am not concerned about how well he has learned
the skills, or if he even remembers them. I want to help the Scout
prepare himself for the BOR by helping him see how much he has grown
since the last conference. I am building his self-esteem and providing
him with the opportunity to address problems, ask questions, and set
goals. I let the Board of Review do the re-testing if that's what they
feel they must do.
For those who believe the Scoutmaster is the only person who should be
able to conduct Scoutmaster Conferences, I believe you are downplaying
the relationship part of the conference. I have just taken over an
established troop. Half of the Scouts have been in the troop for three
years and would not be very confortable talking to me when it comes
time to have a conference. As Scoutmaster I will have conferences with
these Scouts, but the Scoutmaster Conference for their next rank will
be done by one of my Assistant Scoutmasters because he has been in the
troop with them since they joined and has a good relationship with
them. They will be more comfortable speaking with him, and the
conference will be more productive.
In my sixteen years of being a Scouter I have conducted many
Scoutmaster Conferences, and a few Scouts have "failed". Usually it
was because the Scout felt he wasn't ready (rare) or I felt he wasn't
ready, based on our conversation. This isn't a failure. If the Scout
recognizes that he isn't ready to advance I am more inclined to "pass"
him. It's not a test, it's an evaluation.
YIS
Anthony J. Mako
Scoutmaster Troop 381
Great Trail Council
Eagle Scout, 1981
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
