DuctTape

Some good suggestions @PACAN. I would add a change to the mission of the Councils and Districts to solely be "support the units". Nothing else matters. All metrics used to assess performance of Councils, Districts and their staff should be based only on their support of the units.

No spare clothes for the day. I have my hiking clothes, and my sleeping clothes. I do bring an extra pair of socks. Camp shoes are not necessary, but some people like them.

Every time I see reference to the refresher course, I picture Chevy Chase in Fletch. I apologize for the drift. Back to real discussion.

Yeah. With such a focus on advancement and eagle, our slogan has taken a back seat. Many years ago I used to do a SM minute relating the slogan and motto. I wish I could find it, but the gist was Our slogan and motto are not separate ideas but intimately intertwined. This is not by accident. Be Prepared is the more common phrase used to describe Scouts, and often it is in context of tools, knowledge and skills. Do a Good Turn Daily is how we are recognized as scouts through our deeds. I challenge us to think of how Be Prepared and Do a Good Turn Daily are not exclusive ideas, but are the flip sides of the same coin; the mindset of being prepared on one side and the action of doing a good turn on the other. Phrased in question form: Have you prepared to do a good turn today?

The other day I was in the grocery store doing my regular shopping. As I walked in I noticed another gentleman look my way. Not sure if he knew me or just saw me wearing hiking clothing. He asked if I was in Scouting and was shopping for a campout. I said, yes I am in Scouting but if the scouts were going camping THEY would be doing the shopping, I would just be the driver. He nodded and said, "good man". Anyway, thought I'd share the story here with you all.

Club and travel sports are beginning to hear a backlash from parents. So far it has not changed participation but that would be the next step.

Over the decades I have heard many youth exclaim "i'm gonna kill you", and never was it an actual death threat. Heck my little sister would say it to me when I teased her. It was/is a common expression kids use. It might not be appropriate, but calling it a death threat is over the top.

I do keep my paper records. I was only half joking about having a physical Scouter Handbook, not just for sign-offs but also to say to others, "see page 42".

I wish I could get a Scouter Handbook to have the trainer "sign off" on my trainings as the official record.

Probably the only question to be determined in this case will be, "who was responsible for supervising the 5 year old".?

It does matter, but the train left the station long ago.

Good idea. Currently there are more options within the required list than when I was a scout, but not like before. Apparently these always fluctuate. Sadly what is not fluctuating is the continued erosion of the mB part of the program by summer camps, "universities" and troop only counselors. Scouts are less and less benefiting from the mB process by having the badge be the sole aim.

A conversation with the scout might yield some pertinent information.

Hard to really tell, but you are correct, something seems off.

Certainly not clear. I would argue that it is not even a good method. The adults do not, and cannot learn through the eyes of a plc by pretending to be them. Adults have skills and experiences which the scouts do not have; they think differently so the experience is nothing like what the scouts will experience. The adults get zero training with this method in how to guide, and mentor youth in any of these exercises. IF, the method was to be employed, not only must it be abundantly clear that the exercise is simply to understand the task the scouts will be engaged in, but that is not the training. What must be incorporated is discussion and training in how youth have undeveloped executive functioning skills, and lack the experience of the adults. Training in how to mentor the youth to not just fulfill the task, but grow and lead their fellow scouts. The training and focus cannot be the tasks and exercises with clarity that "this is what the scouts will be doing and you will learn through their eyes by experiencing it now". That is crap. What needs to happen is: 1. A dissection on the differences between how adults with skills and life experiences will engage in a task vs how youth without those skills and experiences. 2. How to guide youth to develop the skills, reflect on the experience, make adjustments and grow. Focus is not the task or exercise, but how to interact with the scouts as young leaders to help them develop. The training exercises need to focus on the scouts, not the tasks. When I led modules in IOLS, this is how I did it. Sure, if the adults did not know the basics, we did those but the main focus was how to encourage the youth to use, practice, and lead the skills within the patrol method. We also had participants reflect on their troop practices which may deny these opportinities to the youth. I recall one participant who had been a SM for many years (never did IOLS), tell me afterwards that he realized that the troop had been doing the same activities/camping locations and plans for so long that the scouts did not have to do any planning nor use any of the skills they should be developing. He realized that the "well oiled troop" was not the goal and actually the journey needs to include more failure for the scouts to grow.