"blocking" advancement (med/long)
Mary Lee Foley (mlfoley@EARTHLINK.NET)
Fri, 15 Aug 1997 19:16:05 -0400
Interesting timing. We scheduled a BOR for the week after summer camp,
assuming that several boys would need one. That was a good call. The
BOR immediately followed the conferences, with each boy leaving the SM
and heading down the hall for the next step. However, there was one boy
that was not going to get past the SM this time.
Before I go any further, I want you all to understand that our troop of
10 scouts includes 4 diagnosed as ADD/ADHD (attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder), 1 LD (learning disabled), 1 recently out of SBH
(severe bahavior handicap) classes and officially OK, 1 who would
probably be in SBH if he weren't homeschooled and 1
obsessive/compulsive. 2 of them are mine (and SM's!) I mention this
because I want you to understand that while we're not professionals, we
have several years of practice working with boys who need extra
attention and/or guidance. The boys get along fairly well and none of
them are headed for jail. They know we won't tolerate bad language or
picking on anyone. They also know we won't jump down their throats
every time they yell or wander down the hall.
So... One of the two vying for "most difficult scout" in general was
fairly awful from Wednesday night until we left camp on Saturday. He
got into a fight (no one hurt); he was more short-tempered than usual;
and he used foul language about 1/hr for the same period of time. When
he sat in front of Ray (SM), Ray aked him point-blank, "If you were
sitting here facing (Scout), what would you say to him?" The scout
immediately answered that he'd have to say "(Scout), you need to work on
your temper and getting along with people. You seem to have trouble
with Scout Spirit and several points of the Scout Law." (This is almost
word-for-word.) The two of them agreed that he should work on his
attitude and behavior and try again at the next BOR in October, but the
conference proceeded on a friendly, positive note and both went away
satisfied.
--
Mary Lee Foley
Troop 71 Advancement Chairman
Pack 71 Committee Member
Former District Cub Scout Training Chr.
Present District Boy Scout Training Chr.
Toledo, Ohio
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