Re: MB Program Q's
Anthony Mako (ajmako@NLS.NET)
Tue, 9 Mar 1999 14:17:55 -0500
<Anita wrote>
Is it typical, for instance, when 17 boys go on a ski trip, for only 2
of them to decide to work on the merit badge? It seemed an ideal
opportunity...
</Anita>
Anita,
First, it's pretty standard, nothing obviously out of place. Second,
trying to understand this can lead to madness if you're not careful.
Unless the Scouts are highly self-motivated, it usually takes a bit of
push from the troop leaders to get Scouts to think about such things.
The fact that there was plenty of information available on what needed
to be done to complete the mb for this activity, it is ultimately up
to the Scouts to take the next step. If the adults do to much to push
merit badges on Scouts, the whole process of earning the badges
quickly becomes very little fun.
<Anita continued>
Because the result, at least in this troop, is that it's rare indeed
for a boy to earn ANY badges, outside of the ones he does at summer
camp. The troop's one Eagle Scout had to rush like mad to finish up
his requirements, earning something like 10 different badges at the
last minute. What IS the typical amount of badges awarded at a CoH?
</Anita>
This sounds like there might be a reason to worry. It looks as though
summer camp is a big advancement item for this troop, but little is
done during the rest of the year to motivate Scouts to advance. This
CAN be a perception thing, since it depends on how often the troop has
CoH's or awards badges. It could be that they award badges at other
times.
Advancement in Scouting goes hand-in-hand with the program. If the
only advancement (ie merit badges) is done at summer camp or the last
second, that tells me someone needs to take a look at this troop's
advancement trends. How often do they have BOR's, or turn in
advancement reports? Are Scouts making steady progress toward their
next rank, or does it happen in spurts of activity? What is the SM's
attitude - does he actively encourage Scouts to advance, or does he
just leave it entirely up to each Scout? Does the BOR speak to Scouts
who haven't been advancing?
<Anita continued>
A separate but related question - how does a boy earn a
special-tools-required badge like auto mechanics or plumbing? Is he
expected to fulfill all the requirements at home, or does the MB
counselor sort of "apprentice" him to learn what he needs to know? I
guess the same question could be asked of specialized-knowledge
badges. Does someone teach the boy, or is he expected to learn on his
own?
</Anita>
Special tool merit badges can be earned the same way any other merit
badge is earned. The usual process is that the Scout asks his SM for a
blue merit badge card for a particular mb. The SM fills out the card
and signs it (assigning a counselor if the Scout hasn't already found
one - the SM still has to make sure the counselor is registered). The
next step is for the Scout to contact the mb counselor and sets up a
meeting (using the buddy system - his buddy can be another Scout, a
friend, or a member of his family). At the first meeting the counselor
and Scout discuss the requirements for the particular mb and determine
how the Scout will accomplish those requirements. If the Scout has
already done some things that satisfy requirements, this is a good
time to bring them up. It's entirely up to the counselor whether or
not prior activities can be used.
After the first meeting, the Scout should have a pretty good idea of
what he needs to do, and has already discussed a time-line in which to
get it done. Where the requirements are completed depends on the mb
and the requirements. Some reqs. can be completed at home, some will
have to be done in the presence of the mb counselor. In the case of mb
like mechanics or other highly technical mbs, the counselor will
usually be involved in helping the Scout learn the particular skill
needed, and the Scout is indeed like an apprentice. The difference is
that the Scout doesn't need to become a professional mechanic to earn
mechanics mb.
Completing the process, once the counselor is satisfied that the Scout
has completed all of the requirements, he signs the blue mb card
(which should also contain a record of each requirement completed,
with a date and the counselor's initials). The Scout then takes the
card to his SM who will make sure the merit badge is properly
recorded. A Scout has earned a merit badge WHEN THE COUNSELOR SIGNS
THE CARD!
YIS
A. J. Mako, ajmako@nls.net , Scoutmaster Troop 381
Home of the Unofficial Win95 Boy Scout Desktop Theme,
http://members.aol.com/Scouts381/
Old Portage District, Great Trail Council, BSA
"I used to be an Eagle (C-7-97), but I'll always be an Eagle (1981)"
