CarlosD

Our troop is in the process of switching from Troopmaster to Scoutbook. We would also like to have a stand-alone website that could serve as a front-end for Scoutbook (similar to TM), that would also be able to access cloud storage for documents and photos. Am wondering how you integrate Scoutbook with a stand-alone troop website.

Thanks,
Carlos

Hi all,

We are about to have our annual planning meeting where Scouts decide where they will go for each of their monthly campouts as well as for summer camp. This is my first planning meeting as SM and I assumed this is how other units do this, since BS troops are "boy lead". My concern about this is that the Scouts may not do their due diligence in researching the many options for monthly campouts and for summer camp. I sent out a list of campgrounds in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and it appears to have not been looked at. Does your unit do it this way or do the SM and other adult leaders play a role in deciding where to camp? Looking forward to your thoughts!

We just got back from summer camp, my first one as SM. On our last night, a scout cut himself in the knee with his knife. He claims to have treated the wound himself correctly. He did not notify an adult. The next morning was return day and his knee was swollen. Upon arriving home his dad had to take him to the ER and he is on antibiotics. He will be fine, but I am wondering if your troop has policies as to who can treat a wound and if adult leaders need to be notified about any injury.

I think its important to establish the notion of a quorum so that any decisions are representative of all of the patrols ( our vote only had 50% of PLs). Collegiality is also an important skill that is not easy for kids at this age.

Thanks all. Am inclined to not allow Adult Leaders to check off their kid's requirements except for perhaps service hours. Will get feedback from Troop Committee and put into bylaws. I think its important to have this sort of policy in the troop bylaws, but I suppose that is another topic.

Just following up. So we are respecting the vote taken by the PLC for now. I may ask the SPL to request a new vote sometime in the future since it seems they did not follow proper rules of order. We are training the PLC on the use of Robert's Rules.

Hi all,

I became our unit's SM back in March. I have two sons in our troop. I have not checked off any requirements for them, to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. Do BSA guidelines prohibit the SM or other Adult Leader from checking off son's requirements for rank advancement or merit badges? Can the SM hold an SM conference with his/her son?

Thanks.

Thank you TAHAWK and to all who responded. Will let you know outcome.

4 hours ago, TAHAWK said:

The B.S.A. has not trained adults or youth in the Patrol Method in a remotely coherent way for decades.  Yet, to earn "Scout,' a youth member must explain the Patrol Method.  ("3a. Explain the patrol method [sic]. Describe the types of patrols that are used in your troop.")  

A troop is a collection of patrols, not a group of scouts and scouters.

According to BSA back when it coherently defined the Patrol Method, a scout was to primarily spend his ("his" then) time in a patrol context.  This hint is still there if one recognizes it: “Scouting happens in the context of a patrol.” B.S.A., Scoutmaster Position Specific Training, 2019    (current syllabus)  Or this: "“Patrols will sometimes join with other patrols to learn skills and complete advancement requirements.”  B.S.A., Scouting.org (2018)[emphasis added].

So the bulk of a troop meeting is to be devoted to patrol activity, such as learning Scoutcraft as patrols or preparing as patrols for future activities in the patrol, with other patrols, or in the troop - competitions, hikes, campouts.  Do allow some time for "troop corners."

The Patrol Method provides that a patrol is a team, with each member having a job, and that the patrol activities are planned democratically by the members of the patrol. There is no exception for members who do not plan to participate, but the benefits of compulsory participation in democracy are not obvious.   One might ask why a member of a team is disinterested in having input into its activities -  activities that are is supposed to constitute most of his (or her) time in Scouting.  Have they figured out that it is time wasted?  (Prize for mest new idea for ______  ?)

The Patrol Method provides that troop activities are planned by the Patrol Leaders' Council, chaired by the Senior Patrol Leader and with the patrol leaders representing their respective patrol members. The Scoutmaster has no vote.  He typically has influence.  The objective - the Scouters' objective - is training the youth in citizenship and leadership by doing, not fantastic program.  Safety aside, the youth will, and are allowed to, make what adults may think are mistakes and to learn from those mistakes.

“Adults understand that their role is to create a safe place where boys can learn and grow and explore and play and take on responsibilities—and fail, and get up and try again.  B.S.A., Orientation for New Scout Parents (2019)

“Never do for a Scout what he can do for himself.”  "To what standard?"  "Why to a boy's standard."

Bill

Then there is this other thing going on.

 

Thank you for that sir. Requiring all Scouts to participate in campout planning with their patrols was designed in part to stimulate interest in attending the campouts. Attendance has been lagging in our troop. We tried this compulsory planning one time and 18 scouts attended the campout. A huge uptick for us.

So my question is can the SM snd SPL overrule a PLC decision we feel is damaging our Scouting program?

We used to let the non-attendees do other activities, but this created problems with having enough adult supervision, etc. Having all Scouts participate in planning is something new we are trying. Would be interested in hearing how other troops do this.

Hi,

Am new to the forum. I have been an adult leader for the past nine years. My younger son recently crossed over and I was asked to be the SM for our troop. Since I had previously taken the SM/ASM training, I accepted. I was wondering how much latitude the Scoutmaster has in setting up troop meeting structure. We now have a segment during the meeting where patrols plan their next campout. We (the SPL and I) are requiring all Scouts to participate even if some are not going on the campout. We feel this keeps all of the Scouts engaged in planning outdoor activities, which is an important training element in itself and even induces more Scouts to attend outdoor activities, which of course is a crucial element of Scouting. One  Scout (the previous SPL) thinks Scouts should not be forced to help with campout planning if they will not be attending and was able to get a vote in the PLC in favor of this. Can the PLC change the rules on who may participate in certain activities? Thanks for your input.

Hi,

I am a Tiger Cub Den Leader and this is my first post on this forum. The Scouts in our den recently earned their Tiger Cub badge. One of the parents asked me if his Scout can receive credit for Electives for activities that were done prior to the boy becoming a Scout, or prior to the boy earning the Tiger Cub badge after having enrolled in Cub Scouts. I couldn't find anything in the Cub Scout Leader Book that spoke to this.

My gut tells me that if an activity was performed without the specific intent of doing an elective, it should not count, regardless of when it was done. Would appreciate any references to Scouting regulations which address this issue.

Carlos