mashmaster

In our district/council, the NYLT course directors like to invite scoutmasters to be on staff for it so that they better understand what the boys are learning at NYLT. Obviously, this doesn't scale but I like the idea behind it.

My guess is that they are again reducing the amount of knots and will have one ethnic supporter knot with a device for each ethnicity. Personally, I don't understand the motive behind the knot reductions. Are they really worried about someone having too many leader knots? If that is what a person wants for dedicating hours and hours of service , let them have the knots.

No worries, The only time we have parents involved is when there are serious issues between boys that they can't resolve and it is detriment to the troop and them. Otherwise we only provide advice and suggestions where wanted from them.

They are all involved in all aspects of the planning of the patrol activities, menu planning.... There always tends to be a couple of scouts that are more vocal and leaders without the title and tend to run for patrol leader pretty quickly. Since they operate more communal at first they all feel ownership and learn together. It seems to work as they learn the basics and confidence to be more traditional after the first bit. The keys IMHO are summer camp attendance, making sure the TG demonstrates a technique not does it for them.

I should also mention that the troop has been around and thriving for 27 years, with a high level of leadership throughout the district, council, and area. Including head venturer for the area and several philmont rangers. So clearly we are a failure to scouts because we need to run the troop only in the way that you deem fit. I will stick with our methods that have been proven to be sucessful by just about any standard other than yours.

Why do you think that it fails? It actually works out quite well. This works for our troop, come visit us on a campout sometime.

Our patrol doesn't have a PL or APL. The patrol works more communal at first since they are all new. We haven't had domineering TG's we have had the opposite. We have had the opposite where the TG's just ignore them. That is when we have "The discussion" about responsibility and leadership. We haven't had that issue about them not wanting to go into patrols yet.

I suggest watching the video, it is much better than the text.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article131920399.html Think Boy Scouts have lost their way? You’ve made a grave mistake Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article131920399.html#storylink=cpy

Our NSP is all 1st year scouts with 2 older scouts that help teach them via the edge method. It is beneficial IMHO for both the younger and older scout. They are all boy run and they decide what they want to do it is just that the older scout can teach them how to cook a hamburger then watch as they cook their own burger for example. Or show them different cooking techniques. After 6 months they go into the other patrols with a mix of ages. It seems to work out well.

As far as basics, some webelos cross over with lots of camping experience, but most have had parents cook, clean, setup, and pack for them. So they need to learn to plan and camp. The troop guide teaches them all of that plus toten and fireman chit. Some are ready faster than others. Some aren't really ready after 6 months.

Even then I think it still works. But yeah they might be a little sensitive to it still

We are trying to do a hybrid. 1st years go into a patrol with troop guides, then after 6 months they get integrated into mixed age patrols. Feedback from the boys was that they felt the 1st years needed more basics taught before putting them in general population :-)

Tonight's SMM will be about the Superbowl. It is basically the same story as the tortoise and the hare. Atlanta was up big, taunting the Patroits on the pick 6, but the Patriots didn't give up, they scored 31 straight points to win. Always try your hardest to the end and don't get overconfident. You may still lose but if you quit, that feeling will last forever.

We were in a somewhat similar situation and a small group of boys decided to form a new troop. We involved them in the entire process and let them do a start/stop/continue for their new troop. I don't know if it will be successful yet, but we went from meetings of chaos and boredom to meeting running long because they were having fun doing a scout skill. On the last campout, they were shocked when we talked about a service project and I let them decide what it would be at the park and let them go off and do it. I didn't even walk with them to check on them, they knew they weren't allowe

So, I heard a lot of these same issues when the Gay issue was being discussed. The program at our unit didn't change we lost a few but ended up gaining others as well so that was a wash. What I do have first hand experience with was a fine young man that was told after the decision that his troop would not approve his advancement and he should quit scouting. He came to us and has thrived and shown himself to be a kind and great leader. He is one of our best examples of how scouting has helped him grow. Nobody other than a few of us know the reasons why he came to us and frankly nobody ca

He said it beautifully and logically. It is hard to argue with the logic but I know many will.

As someone who is a scoutmaster for 3 weeks..... I am trained (Woodbadge, IOLS, course director for OWL/BALOO, District Committee challenge)..... 2 things so far: Trusting that the boys will get anything done, holy cow it is like watching chaos...... And resisting the urge to step in and say, "Hey! stop and think for one second!" but rather just small words of advice to try to steer them back on track. The overwhelming amount of focus from everyone from the boys to parents wanted to ask me and expect me to have the answer to everything right now..... I am hoping th

Welcome back. I know someone that's son that is in Trail Life and they have dropped off in activity. I think it was a quick rise and fall. The group that looks interesting to me is the Baden-Powel Association. They are extremely inclusive and seem to have been around for a while.

Yes Gene, I think my brain confused him with Jim Lovell for some reason. I wish I could edit the post....

Gene was a 2nd Class scout. Watching the Mercury 7 Gene Cernan’s wife asked: Would you like to do that? Gene's response: I would love to do it, just give me the chance. But by the time I get good enough, by the time I get qualified, by the time I meet all the requirements, there won’t Be anything left to do. All the Pioneering will be over. Don’t ever short change yourself, you never ever know what fate has in store. I got a call out of the blue, it was NASA and asked to come try out. Cernan tells his grandchildren: “Don’t ever count yourself out. You

I hope you are right that I misread the meaning. Although after seeing the car, I find it hard to believe that the boy had much input into the creation that I saw. I realize it is a team effort to build, I have helped my son through the years and from him designing it on the wood I cut it and he sanded and painted it. To finally helping him use the band saw safely and guiding him through the process with scrap wood until he was capable of using the tool.

So my troop is helping the local Pack at their Pinewood derby tomorrow. I see this message of a mom of a cub scout that is a Webelos I. It make me angry and sad at the same time. Child X's 2017 Pinewood Derby car. This is the third one I have made. I hope it's as fast as last year's.

Personally, I like the new requirements over the old ones except for the Cyberchip requirement. But overall, I think it is a better more consistent program for start to finish. It frustrated me personally when I saw people cross their boys over prior to the new year just so they could do the easier requirements. The spirit of scouting isn't to race through to get to Eagle, parents seem think that is the only goal.

Well, tonight the boys decided on BTSR summer camp. The main attraction for them was the rock range where they get to throw rocks at a broken down car..... It made me laugh but it was their decision. I have heard great things about the camp.