Conducting Scoutmaster Conferences

[Buffalo Skipper]

I have some questions about SM Conferences. Our troop is small (but growing). We will be up to about 20 scouts by the end of the crossover season, all but 2 or 3 of whom are fairly active. As such I intend to do all my own SMCs. I do have 2 questions relating to this.

 

First, I have seen others talk about SMCs being done by ASMs. I have looked throught the material (Boy Scout Handbook and SM Handbook) and I have found nothing which suggests this can be done by anyone other than the SM. I certainly may have missed it, and if I have, please let me know where this is so I can review it.

 

Second, my son is, as of last night, a member of the troop. I have heard others talk about not doing SMCs for one's own son. Is this documented in the SM Handbook or Advancement Guidebook, and if so where (again so I can review this material).

 

I understand the "image" of having a conference with one's own son, but if that is the case, why should one scout be exposed to a different "standard" than every other scout in the troop? Likewise, the SMC is not a pass/fail test, so what is really so "negative" about having a SMC with one's own son?

 

I am not trying to slam troops or SMs whose ASMs are helping with this job, I am only looking to find the documentation of the official references and discuss the matter.

[acco40]

The Scoutmaster Handbook uses the term "Scoutmaster" very loosely. Sometimes it has the meaning of the Scoutmaster and other times it means the Scoutmaster and the Assistant Scoutmasters.

 

Just like merit badges, there are no rules preventing you from giving your son a Scoutmaster conference. However, one of the methods of Scouting is adult association so I think it is in the best interest of your son to let someone else, one of your assistants, give him his Scoutmaster conference. As a father of two scouts, I have many opportunities, outside of Scouting to get the same information as I would in a formal SMC with my sons. Another purpose of a SMC is to get to know the Scout better and for the Scout to get to know the SM/SA better. That is not necessary (I would hope) for a father/son.

 

Also, a Scoutmaster should always be looking for someone they feel could become a SM. Mentor this adult and delegate the SMC for you son as a training opportunity for that SA.

 

As Scoutmaster, you are in charge of your troop's advancement program. You and you alone may choose to delegate this responsibility or not.

[OldGreyEagle]

this is what is stated in the Advancement Committee Guide, Polices and Procedures:

 

"In large troops, Scoutmasters occasionally assign this responsibility to assistant Scoutmasters or members of the troop committee; but this is unfortunate, because most Scoutmasters feel that this is truly the opportunity to get to know the Scout and help him chart his course in life."

 

I dont think you will find a reference on not doing your sons Scoutmaster conference as there is no prohibition, it's all an apearances thing. In the troop I serve my son earned a silver palm and I did not counsel a single merit badge for him as it worked out there were always other adults available. I could have and had no problems with BSA policy.

 

If you don't think it is an issue, then it isn't do the conferences

[nrp1488]

In our previous troop, older scouts signed off on advancement requirements for younger scouts. The older scouts often times had poor knowledge (having previously been signed off by other scouts with poor knowledge)so the skills were not good. The ASM would conduct a pre-SMC to review skills and requirements. That left the SM free to do a conference more related to how the scout was getting along, what they liked and disliked about the troop, where they wanted to go on the scouting trail, etc. The troop we're in now, the ASM's sign off on all advancements so the skills are verified up front. The SM then does the SMC.

[John-in-KC]

To expand on OGE's post with my own roughly parallel thoughts...

 

If you think your son would benefit from another adult's perspective (he does get your own a fair bit, we've all been there/done that), then let someone else do his SM conference.

 

If you think time with Dad (even SM Dad) is rewarding for your son, do the conferences.

[cheffy]

Our Troop doubled in size in two years. I learned real quick that as SM I couldn't do all the SMC's. I assigned 2 ASM's to each patrol. Now when the boys need a SMC they go to thier ASM's. I'll get a report back from the ASM or many times I'll sit in. I usually do Satr and up myself.

[Gunny2862]

There have been some "irregularities" over the years in the Troop.

 

I realy try to avoid even the appearance that I am smoothing the path for my son.

 

In so doing it seems better to me to have as little to do as possible with any signatures or conferences for him. I do SMC's for any and all other Scouts.

In return, we have an unwritten Troop understanding that all Adults are to attempt to let any other adult deal with their child for any "Scouting" purpose.

This does get problematic at times i.e. when he is part of the PLC, and directly a part of MY Job - but other than saying he successfully completed his time and mentoring him while he's serving - which is a very public act here and where any hypocrisy on my part would be readily exposed, and I would remove him if necessary and he knows it... - but other than that he's as much in the program as any other Scout.

 

OTOH, I love my son and am extremely proud of him and his accomplishments, and let him know. Just not very often when there are other Scouts around.

[CNYScouter]

Take a look at the Supplemental Training module on Scoutmaster Conferences found at:

 

http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/TrainingModules.aspx

 

...These functions are not easily performed if a Scoutmaster delegates a Scoutmaster conference to assistants. In a boy-lead troop, the Scoutmaster does not assert his authority, but guides and counsels every Scout so that the troop can function well and serve the purposes of Boy Scouting. The Scoutmaster conference is one of the primary ways the Scoutmaster does this.

 

In large troops, delegating this function may be necessary, especially when large numbers of Webelos Scouts are joining the troop. In these cases, an experienced assistant Scoutmaster can fill in to conduct the Scoutmaster conference. Remember however, that this first Scoutmaster conference is vital to the new Scout's development.

 

Even in a large troop, a Scoutmaster should not delegate a conference with any candidate for Star, Life, and Eagle.

...

[Stosh]

I concur with the thought that delegating out the SMC is not the best option to follow. With a boy-led program, the SM shouldn't be so busy so as to not be able to do them. Of course this opens the whole can of worms to just exactly what gets covered in a SMC. Does jaw-jacking around the campfire with a scout about scouting, family, school, etc. count as SMC?

 

I count SMC's a personal time with individual scouts and attempt to make a contact of some significance with each boy over the course of each month. I know well before he ends his requirements where he stands, I keep track of his progress and give promptings/suggestions for getting it done as needed.

 

I guess I prefer to personally know what's going on with each boy rather than delegating out some kind of formalized meeting to an ASM who reports back to some results of their contact.

 

Stosh

[Buffalo Skipper]

As always, thanks to the peanut gallery for their frank and open remarks.

 

One of my concerns is that our troop does not have much of a selection of ASMs. We have our outgoing SM who is certainly qualified, but his availablity is quickly becoming limited. We have another (20yo) who is all right, but is in school and works and only makes maybe 1 meeting in 5 or 6. We have another (18yo) but he had not been to training and hardly sees himself as anything other than an older scout.

 

As many of you have posted, in a troop as small as ours, I should be able to do all the SM conferences. But I will certainly give consideration to having our ASM do my son's. He is not ready to advance (heck, Monday was his first meeting...), so I guess I can put this off until later.

[asm 411]

In our troop the Scoutmaster does all Webelos II's, Scout and Star and above SMCs.

 

I work with the Troop Guide and the new Scouts so often times it makes more sense for me to do the Tenderfoot and Second Class SMCs. I already have a good idea of where each new Scout is at and what opportunities are coming up.

 

Depending on the Scout the First Class SMC will be done by whoever the SM and I feel would be best to give the Scout direction toward Star.

Typically this has to do with who the Scout gravitates to more. The SM and I are close friends and try to always make the decision based on what we think is best of the Scout. We feel that having the conferences with both of us along the advancement trail gives the boy more adult interaction and views of Scouting. Also it gives us both an opportunity to get to know the Scouts.

 

Additionally we are both in agreement that I am next in line to be SM so having me more involved in the SMCs works toward a smoother change over in a few years when he steps down.

 

Every troop has different Scouter personalities and I think it really depends on what works best for the Scouts based on the SM and his ASM(s).

 

 

[SMT224]

As SM, I do all the SMC, whether for advancement or just to check in with a Scout to see how he is doing. Most often the SMC is for rank advancement, but I also do an SMC to discuss service projects, Eagle projects, if a Scout has not advanced in the past 6/12 months, if there is a disciplinary issue, or just to see how things are going for the Scout. This forces me to be available and to ensure I am not too involved in meeting activities. I have, and continue to do the SMC for all my sons. The SMC with one of my sons is conducted the same way it is for every other Scout because when I'm SM, I'm not Dad.