2-4-1

It is remarkable how the rationale for one position is exactly the same
rationale for which another takes an opposing view:

Dave Colangelo asked:

"Since both MBs (Communications and Citizenship in the Community
(CIC) MB) have a requirement to attend a meeting, would you use one
meeting to satisify both MB requirements?"

Steve on Cattail Creek opined he would let one meeting count for
both. Okay. But, then he wrote:

"On the other hand, the Scout may need to be counselled on the
objective of the merit badge requirement(s) if he seems overly focused
on completing the "checklist" with the least amount of work, rather than
on the substance of the merit badge."

This is exactly the reason why, as I was pondering the original
question, I came up with the answer that I would require the scout to
attend two meetings. For each of these merit badges, the purpose comes
to bear in that the lad is sitting in the meeting listening for two
different distinct things:

For Communications, he should be hearing organized discussion
and presentation of issues, he should be seeing parliamentary procedure
in action, perhaps. He should be hearing debate, folks taking turn in
the exchange or dialogue, you know communication of ideas. He should see
(hopfully) sensitivity to each side's viewpoint, and how a synthesis of
ideas can emerge and result in a constructive plan of action -
regardless of the actual matter being discussed. (And, in my local
borough council's meetings, he might even see fisticuffs, which have
erupted betimes, prompting a neat discussion on how NOT to resolve
differences.)

For Citizenship/Community, he should see governance. He should
see elected representatives attempting to apply statute and ordinance in
dealing with development and establishing a vision of the future of the
community as well as a consideration of individual rights and
allowances. He should see the balancing of priorities in terms of how or
where money is spent (hence the follow-up requirement to obtain the
budget.) At the council meeting I sat in on with my troop last Spring,
it happened to be the monthly budget expenditures meeting. At the
opening of the session, there was a series of "Item 1, call question,
aye, nay, next item, aye, nay". The boys had no clue what was going on.
And I remarked to my scouts that in that brief 90 seconds, they had seen
about 7 million dollars spent!

Can a scout sit through one meeting and get all this? Yes, I counsel
both badges. For communications, I will quiz him and focus on that
aspect. For Citizenship in the Community, an entirely different focus.
To truly gain an appreciation of the merit badge subject itself, and be
true to the obtaining of familiarity for either, I will still suggest
the scout attend two different meetings, primed in each to listen for
these different things..... The 2-for-1, I feel, is shortchanging one
or the other merit badges in terms of what the requirement is attempting
to portray to the scout.

Tom Stoddard
Advancement Chairman
Tecumsa District, GPC

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message
• Previous message
• Next in thread