Arrow of Light to Scout

[gwd-scouter 11]

How many of you have been faced with a new Scout in your Troop, proudly wearing his Arrow of Light patch, and he can't say the Oath or Law?

 

Just got 3 new scouts crossed over at the end of May. Our Troop was there and watched as they each received their Arrow of Light.

 

When we open our troop meetings the Scouts usually do both the Oath and Law. None of these new Scouts could do it.

 

 

[CubScoutJo 10]

It may be frustrating but I think it is a minor worry.

 

A lot of Webelos Leaders go over those things once or twice, sign it off for AOL and then that's it. What should be done is the Webelos meeting should be similarly started with the Scout oath and the law. But since they are still cubs that doesn't always happen. I know with my Pack, the whole pack gets together before the den meetings and says the Cub Scout Oath and Law. It tended to get confusing for my Webelos even though I DID have them repeat the scout one later when we broke out to den meetings.

 

For the Scout Badge, they actually do not have to have it memorized, but simply to "Understand and agree to live by the Scout Oath or Promise, Law, motto, and slogan, and the Outdoor Code"

 

It's not until Tenderfoot that they are to memorize it and by then, I'm sure they will have begun saying it so much with the troop that there will be no problem.

 

Jo

 

Here's a related question. How many of your higher ranked boys have the Outdoor Code Memorized?

 

 

[funscout 11]

My older son is a prime example of someone who memorized the Oath and Law in order to earn the Arrow of Light, then promptly forgot them at his first troop meeting. I think the stress of being in a new situation and "stage fright" at being in front of a bunch of people he didn't know well, also added to his "forgetfulness" at his first few troop meetings.

 

It took me a while to figure out why he was always running late when it was time to leave for the meetings. He finally admitted that if he got there late enough, the troop would already be finished reciting the Oath, Law, etc. I realized that he needed a review, but in the mean time, I told him to at least memorize the first couple words of each one, since the whole troop chimes in after the selected boy starts it off.

 

Now that I know my scouts will be asked to lead the Oath, etc. in front of their troop, I will have my younger son's Webelos den members take turns doing this at Den meetings. I think this would have better prepared my older son, who is shy about being in front of a group of people.

[evmori 11]

Not unusual at all. At each BOR, the Scout being reviewed start the BOR with the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law. Most get the Oath by 2nd Class & most get the Law by 1st Class. I always like asking "How many Scout laws are there?". I get a lot of interesting answers!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[gwd-scouter 11]

Jo, all of our Scouts are able to recite the Outdoor Code. At almost every meeting, they begin by reciting pledge, Oath, Law and Outdoor Code. Don't really know why, but that's the way the Scouts have been opening our meetings for years.

 

In my post about AOL and Scout, I was not actually concerned that our new Scouts can't recite the Oath and Law from memory. I know it is not a requirement until Tenderfoot. I just think it's curious that through the years I've watched these AOL recipients join our Troop and at their very first meeting they act like they've never even heard the Oath and Law.

[SR540Beaver 116]

It is absolutely normal. I've seen few AOL crossovers who CAN say the Oath and Law. It is kind of like cramming for a test. They only have to be able to do it once to get signed off. Unless you do drills, competitions or actually set up real dining flys, ask any of your experienced scouts to tie any of the knots they had to do for rank and watch the blank look you get back. Some have good retention, others do not. If they never have to use them....which many don't with today's modern equipment, they simply don't remember how to tie them. Our council uses the traditional canvas wall tents and dining flys for Jamboree. We had to have remedial knot tying classes for all 36 boys....and 4 adults in our troop so they would be able to set up camp when we got there. It is normal.

[Lisabob 13]

Of all the things I worried about doing right or often enough when I was a Webelos DL, whether or not "my" webelos scouts had the boy scout oath & law memorized was way, way down on the list. Yes, we spent time on numerous occasions reading it, talking about it, etc., and I do think that's important to do so they're not just reciting a bunch of mumbo jumbo. But I figured the memorization part would come quickly enough once they joined the troop and recited them every week. (And the troops I've seen in action don't single out random boys to lead the group - the SPL tends to lead this - so we don't have the concern that funscout describes)

 

I've noticed that a lot of new scouts have that deer in the headlights look for at least a few meetings after they cross over. With absolutely everything being new to them I guess I'm not surprised that you get a fair few who have no recollection of the oath & law, despite wearing an AoL badge. Ask their former den leaders if they ever talked about it and I bet the answer is yes!

 

Lisa'bob

[SSScout 1615]

If they can SAY the Scout Promise and Law, I think that's fine.

In my experience, it's more important the Scout understand what they mean and why we think these things are important. Is it "window dressing" as the old timer would say? Or can the Scout see how the WORDS apply to their LIFE? I've heard an SPL lead the SP, SL, and PoA and then go off to play the "games" after Troop Meeting. Language would be used that many felt was not appropriate to Scouts (or any young man) and when the SPL was approached about it, he found it hard to understand how such criticism applied to HIM. "everybody says it". Yeah, but as a Scout leader, he isn't "everybody".

Why do we ask our young men to SAY the SP and adhere to the SL if they don't understand them and see the reason to follow them? There's the challenge.... YiS

 

 

[emb021 16]

"all of our Scouts are able to recite the Outdoor Code. At almost every meeting, they begin by reciting pledge, Oath, Law and Outdoor Code. Don't really know why, but that's the way the Scouts have been opening our meetings for years. "

 

As a scout (7 years) and scout leader (~7 years), this is how my troop did it (tho we added the outdoor code later on).

 

To be honest, this is how I memorized the Oath and Law. I surprise members of my Fraternity by being able to recite them from memory.

 

 

[clydesdale115 10]

Our Webelos 1's are already doing well on learning the Oath and Law - but as we all know, kids learn best with repetition. Play an "Oath" game, make up a "Law" challenge, etc. to keep it interesting, and soon it will come very naturally to them - at least that's our goal.

 

(I actually wrote a RAP song about the Scout Law - it's a lot of fun for the boys to add the sound effects - insert "bmmm, chh - chh, bmmm, chh - chh" here!)

 

Memorization is one thing - "application" is something altogether different. That comes from going over each part of the Oath/Law/others and putting a daily life spin on it: How can I use this stuff on the other 6 days of the week when I'm not at a Scout meeting? We are trying hard to impress on our den boys that they represent Scouting at all times. So the Oath/Law have to mean something to them - we have to find a way to personalize it.

 

I hope when our den boys cross over, they will be able to recite all these from memory. But mostly, I hope they learn to make that character connection and really live that Scouting spirit!

clyde

 

[ASM59 10]

Let me take a moment to brag on our newest Scouts. Nine boys who crossed over from Webelos to Boy Scouts about a month and a half ago. I have been impressed to hear them as they not only all know the Motto, Slogan, Oath and Law, but they understand the meaning of them all. They can all describe every part of the Scout Badge without missing anything (OK one of the boys needed to be reminded that he missed the scroll at the bottom).

 

The truth of the matter is that their Webelos Den Leader took the time to make sure that they knew this information. Far too often it happenes as GWD mentioned. This year is a first with all the boys knowing this infomation so well... refreshing

 

ASM59(This message has been edited by ASM59)

[jhankins 10]

Maybe I'm a hard case, but if the book says "Know" something -- I make sure they can recite it form memory at any time. To me, that means they know it.

 

Just like the tracking merit badge, if they didn't learn it as a skill and can't show me a week later what a bear print looks like, I'd say they didn't really "know" it -- only crammed it.

[bear dad 13]

have to agree with "j" on this somewhat, if book say know and recite they should. I fine it kinda hard to be able to figure out what it clearly means from a stand point? What does know it mean? IF you know it, why can't you recite it then?

 

Look at this way, in school teachers tell students to know something for a test, when test day comes, students tell teachers they know material, but when it come time to tell what the answer is as in ( a oral ) test or whatever? they can not.Does teacher give them a passing grade for "knowing"?

 

Think national should be clearer on this, it is hard to tell if someone knows, if you have no guide lines to be able to tell?

[jhankins 10]

I think National is clear on this. The AOL requirement states:

 

Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath or Promise and the 12 points of the Scout Law. Tell how you have practiced them in your everyday life.

 

I believe the Eagle BOR requirement states "show knowledge of the Scout Oath and Law," it doesn't say "repeat from memory..."

 

 

[bbender 21]

Yep, the Eagle requirements move from knowin' and memorizin' to gettin' it done: "Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life". And providing references to confirm: "List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf, including parents/guardians, religious, educational, and employer references."

 

And congrats to ASM and your Webelos Den Leader and your Scouts for doing so well. It's not supposed to be easy, and great when it's done.

 

I'm glad that the requirements cover both the knowing and then the memorizing -- and I'm glad that in Den Meetings about reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the meaning of it, I've never had to discuss Richard Stans, who Bill Safire called "the most saluted man in America", since "legions of schoolchildren place their hands over their hearts to pledge allegiance to the flag, 'and to the republic for Richard Stans'." ;^)