How to introduce the system

[Beavah]

In the OMYGOODNESS thread, Lisa'bob talked about the question of how to introduce new scouts to the advancement system. It's true, eh? Cub Scout advancement, with its "do your best" and parent-driven nature is very different than Boy Scout advancement. The kids do have to learn the system, with a bit of teachin' and a lot of coachin' to get them going.

 

So how does your troop introduce/teach/coach kids on the advancement system? Particularly, how do you help them get to their first earned rank (Tenderfoot)? How much do you do for them? How much do you push? How much do you just wait for them to take action? What do yeh think you could do better?

 

 

[Lisabob]

There are things I do and don't like about how my son's troop does this. But here are a couple of things I do like.

 

1) At cross-over they give each boy a "joining" neckerchief but these are slightly different from the standard troop neckerchiefs. Believe it or not, the standard troop neckers are considered to be "cool" enough that most of the boys really want one. And the only way to get one is to earn tenderfoot. When a boy does earn tenderfoot, it is a big deal, with a changing of the necker ceremony, etc.. Even the most video-game-hardened kid still seems to love a good ceremony.

 

2) Troop guides are assigned to help the new scouts figure out the system and to encourage advancement through tenderfoot at least. Some are better at this than others. But several of them have helped organize patrol activities to help the new scouts adjust and where tenderfoot rank skills are included.

 

3) This year the troop is holding a "shakedown" camp for new scouts about a month after we expect most of our cross-over scouts to join us. This should help familiarize the new scouts with both troop life/gear and several early rank requirements.

 

Things I think we could do better? Educating parents (lose the parent and you're going to lose the boy). Making sure there's follow-through if an adult or more advanced scout says they'll be there to work on skill X before a meeting or at a campout, they'd better be there. And making sure that there is both enough structure at early camp outs that the new scouts are getting skill instruction that they need, and yet not over-scheduling either, so that a scout who needs some time to practice, say, fire building, has time to do that too.

This last one seems particularly difficult to strike the right balance.

 

Lisa'bob

 

[Eamonn]

Just about all the Scouts even the older Sea Scouts, seem to be gung-ho when they start.

I think that Handbooks and manuals play a big part in helping to light the fire.

I recently had a Scout who was trying to master knot tying, he'd been in a Troop for about five years and hadn't got it. When he started to use the knots or should I say had to put the knots to use he seen that there really was a need to know this stuff. He even said to me that if someone had let him know how important knowing and being able to use the skill was he would have put more effort into mastering it.

Providing opportunities for Scouts to use the stuff they learn is very important.

Some kids are lazy little toads and seem to have somehow managed to got to where ever they are not knowing very much and hiding the fact. Some months back I posted about the Sea Scout we have who didn't understand Time and Distance, when I worked with him for a while I found out that he couldn't tell time. He could read it on his phone, but didn't understand it (If it was 0745 he didn't know how many minutes it would be till 0800!!) Very often if a Scout has a problem he can do a very good job of hiding it and not participate in advancing for fear of being found out. We the adults need to remember the Guided Discovery.

I never seem to have had a problem getting Scouts started. The problem comes later, after they have been in for a couple of years.

I blame myself a lot for that, at times I know I'm guilty of trying to cater to the newer Scouts, in part because I'm a lazy toad and it's easier, requiring less effort on my part.

Eamonn.

[John-in-KC]

Do we need to introduce the advancement system, or do we let the youth play the "Grand Game" for a while? If the PLC is doing what it should, the "things of Scouting" needed for advancement, especially to First Class, should take care of themselves...

 

Beyond First Class, there may need to be some mentorship to introduce the concept of "following a road map you create, at least in part", but doesn't that support the "Adult Association" method as well as the Advancement method?