TMSM

22 hours ago, RainShine said:

We do, and I can. I like very much the advice of committee regularly discussing state of troop. Its not happening now.

I'd be really interested in hearing follow up on this. I can see some SMs being ofended by having to explain how well his program is working and what the challenges are but I see no better way to get everyone on board to what is really happening with the troop.

22 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

 nothing to do with the Methods -

How about: Ideals(a scout is obedient), Leadership development, Personal growth. No doubt we are on the same page. How do we get other troops to works this way?

No disrespect taken, I assume we are talking about the same things. Can you walk us through an example of how your scouts would utilize the scout methods to create activities and how they would create the program around this?

I have a slightly different view on scouting methods. The SM provides the framework that includes the right mix of methods and the scouts run that program. As SM I was the one pushing for the committee to hear how the program is running, how we are using the different methods, it up to them to determine if we are meeting the Scouting Aims. This is where the committee should be providing feedback - are we doing enough to be physically fit? We seem to have this flaw in character throughout the troop (ex: swearing), what can you do to help curtail this? Why are you only doing 1 service project per year? Do you need our help to find more projects?

I really thought this is how it should work with SM and committee so appologies if I have led my troop astray.

Do you have monthly committee meetings? Can you influence the agenda at all? The committe should regularly discuss the "state of the troop". How are we doing with the methods of scouting? Do we focus on some methiods more than the others? What the SMs plan to fix this? Whats an ideal troop with patrols look like? What are adults doing that can be done by the scouts? 

Sure the SM provides the vision for the program but he should be sharing details with the committee on how well its working and what the challenges are. We do this every month and it seems to help keep everyone (committee and SM/ASM) engaged and on the same page. You can also use the BORs to see what the scouts feel about the program and the way patrols are working to give the SM feedback on changes he may need to make.

When I talk about the difference between scouters and  adults in my troop I highlight the fact that scouters treat each scouts as thier own. I have many adults that are there only for their scouts and they would be the type to wear a mothers pin on their uniform and then argue with other scouters about why its ok to do so. If you are SM or ASM don't show favortism or remind other scouts that thier parents don't care.

We just received the forms. Looks easy enough and I am sure this will help make rechartering even less chaotic 

June has the wettest weather and black flies. In my experience fishing is better in July than August. August is drier so less mosquitos. What does your crew like to do? Fishing, 100 mile paddle, camp at a different place every day, moose viewing? To me its the easiest of the HA venues to "roll your own" plenty of outfitters and guidance.

I wouldn't count an HOA meeting unless there was no alternative. I do think the the word attend can mean watch on-line when its not possible to be there in person.

Sounds a little like you want to be the SM. If the PLC has an issue with the CoH they need to work with the SM and set expectations. If the parents have an issue with the SM they need to join the committee and set expectation of the SM. This kind of drama has no place in scouting and an honest conversation should be all thats need to make changes.

I think the number of scouts and leaders all depends what the scouts are making. We make leather tripod stools that take about 6-9 hours and it would hard to have more than 10 at a time.

Also I don't think its a good idea to ever focus on MB for a troop meeting, Teaching a specific skilll that might lead to an MB is good but using all the troop time to do MBs might not be the right way to help scouts grow through the MB process.

4 hours ago, mrkstvns said:

Poncho (unless the weather forecast is for greater than 30% chance of rain)

Depends on where you live. In Chicago they say "if you dont like the weather just wait 5 minutes" a small cheap disposable poncho is always a good idea.

Cover all bases by first contacting the MB Counselor and find out what they might have skipped. Tell angry parent that you want  the best for this scout and that means getting him some experience doing communication i.e. getting a chance to run a campfire program and other speaking skills experience. 

15 hours ago, HashTagScouts said:

Always a problem when you have your program tied to an outside third party... The videos are still there, not nicely grouped under a Scouting specific page.  Here's a link for the internet safety pledge.  http://archive.ikeepsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Internet-Safety-Pledge-II.pdf

  

I don't recall seeing this pledge before and don't remember any reference to porn in scouting. Thank you for the link.

Our council cant get our act together for teaching Outdoor Ethics let alone LNT. My district reps have now ghosted me and wont respond to any of my questions regarding this type of training although they keep asking when can they come and discuss Friends of Scouting donation. 

Looks like Netzsmartz no longer has a scouting section to do some of the requirements (grade 6-8 #4). I wish BSA would do away with this stuff.

We also have 6 month terms and do ILST the week after elections. The only time we dont do ILST is if all the PLs have been through it one or more times.

This "seperation" seems to be a common occurance for our troop. As the SM gets closer to  the end he tries to make sure the scouts he has worked with for many years get the Eagle MBs needed and that the older scouts get a break from the young ones.

This is where the "mid" scouts need to decide what HA they want to do and how they want the troop to be run. The 12-14 year olds should forget about what the older scouts are doing and build their own adventure. The SM and ASM should be fully supportive and help the mid scouts start taking ownership of the troop.

Didn't know dodgeball was prohibited. I'll add this to my list of things we thumb our nose at.

4 hours ago, BigDale said:

Can you tell me the approximate cost of each one?

if you are thrifty you can make a stool for $30 -35. The tri-bolt is $9, birch legs from HD are $6, leather $10, extras (stain for leather, stain for legs, needles, sinew, tracing paper, latex gloves, sponges etc) $10

I provide a yearly Leatherworking "workshop" for the letherworking MB for my troop. We only make 1 item which is a leather stool. This takes between 6 and 9 hours worth of work and is usually spread over 3 or 4 weekends.Heres is how we do it.

Weekend 1: We go on a trip to the Tandy store 30 minutes away. They have a huge selection of everything. The scout get to see all different types of tools, hundreds of different leathers (snake, skate, lamb, goat, chrome tan, veg tan). As we are looking at different leathers we talk about how the idfferent leathers are made. I just ask questions knowing a few of the scouts will have read the LW book.

I then give them the list of things we need and send them of to a scavenger hunt for stain, sinew, needles and tribolts for the legs. I usually wait for a sale a few weeks before this and buy a side of veg tan 4 to 5oz works well.

We then head back to our meeting place and I give them each a piece of paper and we dicuss briefly why planning things is important and the each design what they will put on their stool i,e, stamps, name dates and BSA design they are going to carve, Then I send them home.

The following weekend I do what I call a workshop. I open the doors at our meeting room from 8 - 1PM and let them know the next step takes 2 hours and that they can come and go as the need to due to sports and all other commitments. When they get there that day I hand them the giant piece of leather, a triangle cardboard templet  and a razor knife. The quickly figure what the need to do cut the triangle and then when I get 2 or 3 finished we will wet the leather, While waiting the scouts answer questions regarding the injuries that may occur and othe MB questions. The we stamp and carve based on the plan the did the previous week.

The next week weekend workshop we sew the corners on, stain and add the legs which takes between 1 and 3 hours.

We could do something much easier and be done in a day but the scouts seem to like doing it this way and its the 5th year in a row they have asked for this. They do bring their stools to most campouts and some bring them onbackpacking trips. 

7 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

I'm curious of how many scouts use hammocks. Most of the hammock users in our troop were adults. Scouts tried them out for an hour, but never got motivated to use them. 

Barry

Not many full time in my Troop but about 25% use one for lounging at summer camp. Here in the midwest most youth campsites are cleared and flat so not many choices to hang from. Its a crap shoot if there are any trees so I use my turtledog stand half of the time.

21 hours ago, Jameson76 said:

As others noted, bear tacos is one reason (though pretty unlikely).  Main reasons are tree damage, spreading sites out to the trees, also there are wandering deer etc that could get hung up on the hammocks.  Potentially a better shelter in a tent.

I have been hammocking for in scouts for 10 years now and teach safe hammocking at  the Council training expo. From my research there is no good evidence or study that shows using a strap to hang your hammock causes damage to the tree. I have camped many places where trees are used many times for hammocks and no damage - Sea Base Munson Island being one, Boundary Waters, SHT and Isle Royale. 

I agree adding hammocks would spread sites out and having a mix of tents and hammocks causes some issues when choosing the camp site. Dealing with scouts that bring hammocks but are not prepared (TQ, UQ, rain fly, straps, water break) or experienced would be a major hassle for the rangers. 

As for animals - if you have a proper rain fly/tarp its doubtful a deer could get under you. As for bear - I am sure more campers have a bear "open" their tent than bite into hammock.

Better shelter - not when you have a lot of rain pooling on the ground

We do it a bit different than others. I have list of 50 places and possible activities (backpacking Porcupine MTS, Backpacking SHT, Rafting Wolf River, Canoing Wisconsin river, Canoeing Fox river, Shooting Elgin etc..) I print out 1 page for each of the 50. Each page contains a description of activity, a link to some site and location. Each of the 40 scouts are required to either choose one of the 50 and add more detail, choose one of the 50 and modify activicty/location or bring their own idea.

Each scout then does a 3- minute 2-3 slide presentation on where, what, when and why the troop should pick their trip. The PLC then decides which campout should happen in which months and we vote. This gives everyone a say in what we do.

Where did I get 50 ideas? - I stole them from other troop websites and calendars. Some really great ideas out there and because they cam from other troops I assume they are scout appropriate and fun.

The only reason I would have ASM assign to a patrol would be in an age based patrol and then only for the first months.

In our troop the ASMs are given specific responsibilities - one is our adult QM who helps the QM purchase items (adults have credit cards). He also will help the QM set a goal for his 6 month term and to set goals per month. He then reviews those goals on a monthly basis.

The other ASM helps with the logistics of the camping program when the committee has not provided what is needed and he also is my backup when I am not present.

Both  help keeping new parents from getting into patrol business or interfereing. 

IMHO being an ASM should be boring - The SM provides the vision for the program, the scouts provide the program based on that framework. The ASM assists the SM when needed. This opinon is based on a troop 18 - 50 scouts, more than that the SM will need more help.