multitasking

[asm 411 10]

The Red Cross certified First Aid and CPR instructor that assists our troop with First Aid training has a sheet with the rank and merit badge requirements on it. She covers the rank requirements first then works into the Merit badge requirements.

 

She is really good. It is an all day session and she keeps the boys active through out the day so it is not just a classroom experience.

[Narraticong 15]

Being a dinosaur, I earned T-2-1 sequentially. And that made sense. And still makes sense. As mentioned here earlier, one leads to the other and the skills are (or should be) progressively more difficult. So why did BSA say you can do them in any order you like? Certainly there is no justification that would point to better learning of the skills involved. The only reason I can think of is the tired old "First Class / First year" nonsense.

 

Some misguided desk jockeys apparently thought that the key to keeping a boy in Scouts is getting him to First Class. Those of us who sit around the campfire with the boys know that a good active program results in longevity and that advancement is a peripheral result. The desk jockeys in the early 70's had it backwards!

 

But, being a good Scoutmaster, I follow the rules and a boy can complete the requirements in his own order. But maybe, just maybe, the program is set up to work on them in the correct order.