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ParkMan

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Everything posted by ParkMan

  1. I'd concur. I routinely wear Keens for general time around camp. If I were backpacking - that would be different. But, around a summer camp they work great. Yes, they are more expensive - but in my opinion worth it.
  2. At the root here is how the Scoutmaster develops leaders. Just as there are many styles of successful coaches, so too are there many styles of successful Scoutmasters. I would think that regardless of style, the SM needs to be focused on how leaders develop within troop. how individual scouts develop their own leadership potential It could be a more active, hands on approach, or it could be one where the SM has develops a structure in the troop where that leadership development happens within the Scouts themselves. The second sounds preferrable to me - but it's also muc
  3. Agreed. I can't fathom why the DE would have any involvement here at all to be honest. It's a SM decision. If not, then it's the OA chapter advisor. if not, then maybe the Lodge advisor. I can't see that the DE has any role here at all. I like my DE very much, but this is a volunteer decision.
  4. I suspect that what they observed is that Scouts who become engaged in the program tend to stay and scouts who do not tend to leave. Too much inaction leads to boredom and loss of interest. At a national level, they saw that emerge as trends such as First Class First Year. We see that in our troop. Scouts we get started and get engaged stay. Those who get started but never really get going leave. In our world, an active Scout tends to advance. I translate all of this as: getting a scout to first class in 12-18 months isn't the goal. having a program in which Scouts
  5. I agree with your son. We get lots of feedback in life that being goal oriented is a good thing. Setting targets and achieving them is a good skill and trait. Here's a timeline I've used in the past: Scout - Start of Summer/End of 5th grade Tenderfoot - Fall Court of Honor (COH) - 6th grade (about 6 months after Scout) Second Class - Spring COH - 6th grade (about 6 months after Tenderfoot) 1st Class - Fall COH - 7th grade (about 6 months after Second Class) Star - Fall COH - 8th grade (about 1 year after First Class) Life - Fall COH - 9th grade (abou
  6. This brings me back to something I wonder a lot. Does the average troop program provide enough for older youth? In this case, you can extend that to include high-functioning youth. I'd think it could, but it takes some creative thinking and a willingness to trust the youth. Find a role, invent a role, make something new up. We had a SPL years ago who decided to redraw the troop org chart. He invented all kinds of crazy new jobs and got scouts to do them. At one point, I think he over half the troop in some sort of invented job. If a Scout showed up and said, I'd like to help, he'd
  7. My sense is that many scouts would enjoy, and their familes welcome, challenge from the program. I had an opportunity to talk with a Scouter recently who is also a youth sports coach. His comment was that in his sports teams, he'd rather see his team play like a team and lose than not play as a team and win. In short, it's how the team plays that's important - not the win or loss. I think the same is true of Scouting. How the Scoutmaster leverages the program to help the Scouts grow is what's important. I'd welcome a Scoutmaster who has developed a culture where some scouts have to l
  8. Absolutely - every troop needs to make recruiting a prioroty. Certainly not as much as program, but it's got to be a major focus. As for adult experience in Troops for girls. Fortunately something like 40% of the adult volunteers in our local troops for boys are currently female. So, in our area there is a remarkable wealth of knowledge to draw upon already. As I mentioned above, our local troop for girls which was started by some of those very same female leaders. They're doing an amazing job and have a great program aleady. They're are something like 15 girls even after a few mont
  9. Changing expectations mid-stream is hard. And, so yes, that adds a new stress to the process that is largely unfair. Imagineif your son had only been able to play rec. soccer - no high school or travel team soccer. After a few years he's pretty good, but the challenge lessens. Would he still have been as invested in it as he has with more competition? My daughter is in both Girl Scouts & Ballet. Girl Scouts hasn't really progressed challenge wise for her. Ballet continues to get harder and harder. The expectations on her as a dancer increase every year. It's not unusualy for
  10. I think most everyone would agree that this is an unrealistic expectation to have for the Scouts in the program. However, I wonder if it really is that much different from expectations for participation in high school sports or travel level sports. If you're a Scoutmaster trying to build a really strong program, should you encourage Scouts to be more engaged and have a deeper committment? To further the analogy. You've got casual athletes and you've got really committed athletes. There are different kinds of teams for different levels of engagement. Should Scouting work the same
  11. I've got to imagine that this is pretty important to the families of those 5 girls - no? My .02. You need those leaders who want to see a troop for girls happen - regardless of size. Once you have them, the rest will fall into place. At some point in every troops history there was just 5 scouts. If every troop said it's not worth it for 5 scouts, we'd have very few troops today. Some adults in our larger "troop community" started up a troop for girls this spring. By last count I think they were up to about 15 girls already. The girls will show up if there is a good program and a so
  12. Thank you so much for sharing this. I had no idea this existed. This looks like a fun opportunity for those scouts who want to continue the PWD fun at the next level.
  13. I think they redid this page only two or three years ago. The signature is consistent with the idea that the COR has to approve the volunteer. It doesn't mean the COR appoints them or supervises them. The BSA literature is pretty clear - the COR oversees the pack on behalf of the CO. As I've defended numerous times, the COR ultimately can set whatever policies are appropriate for the pack. But, week to week, the CC manages the operation of the pack. The CM runs the program of the pack. As such, program is one component of the operation of the pack. Because of the importance of
  14. From scouting.org - https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/how-cub-scouting-is-organized/ Further on the same page: Seems pretty clear to me. The COR appoints the CC. The CC in turn then secures enough adults to run the program. The COR approves the CC's choice. Notice that the only position appointed by the COR is the CC. Further, Committee Chair, as the top volunteer, leads the adult team that runs the pack - that includes the Cubmaster. If the Cubmaster isn't doing his/her job, it's the CC's duty to replace him/her. Again, these discussions are very aca
  15. The Committee Chair and/or Chartered Organization Representative can remove a Cubmaster. The Committee Chair is the top volunteer in the pack and is responsible for making sure that qualified adults are in place to provide the program. If the Committee Chair doesn't believe the Cubmaster can fulfill the role, then it's within the Committee Chair's realm of responsibility to remove the Cubmaster. The Chartered Orgaization Representative approves everyone who volunteers in the program. If the COR no longer feels the Cubmaster can fulfill his/her responsibilities then the COR can
  16. Politics are often the hardest part of Scouting. Lots of units politics end up getting in the way of brining good program to the Scouts. In my experience, there's generally three ways you can deal with someithng like this. talk to the person making waves and let them know you are uncomfortable publically shame them into stopping - i.e. your own post to Facebook or bringing it up at a leader's meeting go over the person's head and ask for someone to step in. i.e., the CC or COR supervises the Cubmaster and you could ask them to interviene As I mentioned before, I'
  17. Welcome @Natgeo2019! As I think you sensed, no - it's not necessary. There are just some people who like reply-all. Perhaps a direct word to the Cubmaster to let him know you find it uncomfortable to get these kind of emails.
  18. Ahh - gotcha. Makes perfect sense. In my humble opinion, JTE is asking us as leaders to reflect on the number of Scouts that advance each year with the theory that regular advancement is part of a healthy program. We pull our numbers from Troopmaster once a year and do some quick math to see how we're doing.
  19. Very, very well said @The Latin Scot. I learned in my life that attention to detail is a very important character trait. It takes little effort to properly uniform. That you invested the time to do so says a lot. That's an important life lesson.
  20. Interesting ideas here. The uniform of today is effectively: - BSA pants - t-shirt - scout shirt Our scouts wear uniforms constantly - but not in the field. It seems to work pretty well for us. Do we really want a uniform shirt to become something that is worn for hiking and other light activities? My sense is that Scouts wear t-shirts in the field not because the uniform is unpractical - but that t-shirts, sweat shirts, flannel shirts, etc. are just the most practical choice. If so, why try to replace that with a uniform? Sport teams wear uniforms so that you c
  21. There's been lots of good advice on this thread. My recommendations would be two fold: 1) Think about what you want to do and worry less about the labels. What specifically do you want to do the first 3 months? How specifically do you want the Scouts to run troop meetings as you get going? How are Scouts going to decide their camping trips? etc... 2) At every turn, if you feel like "an adult should do this", think instead of how can the Scouts do this? What kind of subtle inspiration or guidance can I give them? How can I give them a challenge or describe a task so that they c
  22. I have a similar reaction to @Hawkwin here. I struggle with the notion that we are upset with this youth because she is advocating for herself. There is a legitimate question here - how much credit can this youth get for similar Scouting activities elsewhere? You can disagree with her request, but I don't see why many are so upset with here for pushing the question.
  23. Sorry - I misunderstood. So you're saying she should have joined a BSA troop, gone abroad, and then worked on advancement in her BSA troop that way. Somehow I think she would have preferred that too.
  24. Huh? You agreed that an American citizen abroad should be able to get Scouting credit. I think that's exactly what she did. Am I missing something here?
  25. I think this is the end of it. We've got to trust leaders to make decisions like this. I don't think we need to be second guessing leaders.
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