Keeping track of progress toward Rank?

[BrentAllen 10]

Beavah,

You need to try it before you criticize it. There are many functions that flow through. For instance, when we log in an Activity, the program keeps track of how many events each Scout participates in, and will fill in that requirement when they have reached the number.

 

As was mentioned, if you have several boys complete the same requirements on a camping trip, you can go into Group Credit and check one box for all of them. The data entry is actually very easy.

 

Plus, it keeps up with all addresses, phone numbers, email addresses. As I mentioned, our Troop web page is synced up with Troopmaster, so any Scout can go into the web page and see what requirements have been completed towards the next rank, and which need to be completed. They can also see all merit badges earned and dates, as well as all contact information for anyone in the Troop.

 

Other features: record dates for Health and Medical forms, and I can generate a very easy report to see if any are out of date. Nights camped is recorded through the Activities, so I can easily see if a Scout has the number of nights for Camping MB. You have to record that information somewhere, so why not do it with a few key strokes?

 

Generally, the only MB partials I enter are from Summer Camp, since our Council doesn't issue Blue cards.

 

I'm not a big data entry type, so if this program wasn't extremely easy to use, I wouldn't be using it.

[Frank17 10]

Troopmaster takes about 1 hour per week for our Troop secretary to maintain. They bring a laptop to our Troop meetings, the scribe and individual scouts collect the updated books, the records are entered, and the books returned. It is more work following a big event like summer camp or a trail to 1st class campout, but the database is quick to use once it is set up.

[fgoodwin 23]

Tracking advancement requirements is the responsibility of the Troop Scribe (you can look it up).

 

If an ASM, Advancement Chair or any other adult is doing this, then you're doing a job that the boys should be doing.

 

If you've been trained, you know that's a "no-no".

[Knot Head 10]

In our troop with 55 on the roster the instructor(s) print out a report from Troopmaster once evey few weeks or so and pass them out to the T21's who fill in the dates from their books and give to the Troopmaster record keeper (CC member). The instructors use this information to decide what skills to work on at campouts & meetings.

 

Star & Life know what they need and have to make a plan to go get it.

 

The data entry is done by Moms that love to help the troop but don't want to camp. Currently we have Moms 3 that do data entry with one as the Troopmaster chief. They seem to enjoy it, I know they take alot of pride in helping to keep us organized and I appreciate all their efforts.(This message has been edited by knot head)

[shortridge 184]

Maybe I'm just a little old-fashioned, but the talk of intentional group advancement work in this thread has made me a little uncomfortable.

 

The way I see it (and I know this is a bit of a rosy-lensed view) it's the Scout's responsibility to advance, or not. It's his job to both complete requirements and keep track of what he's completed.

 

The troop's job - and the jobs of the PLs, ASPL, SPL and other troop-level leaders, including Instructor and Troop Guide - is to provide a fun, exciting, engaging, interesting program. That program should ideally provide an organic, natural arena in which every Scout can - if he wants to - learn skills and earn rank. But no Scout should be passed along on a pre-formatted program meted out by others.

 

I despise MB universities and mill summer camps, and in my mind, this concept of printing out reports, checking what requirements Scouts "have left" and organizing events for the explicit purpose of checking those items off smacks of just the same mentality.

 

Knot Head wrote: "Star & Life know what they need and have to make a plan to go get it." I agree - but shouldn't T-2-1 Scouts also be coached on knowing what they need and making a plan to get where they want to go?

[BrentAllen 10]

fgoodwin,

I did "look it up." The SM HB states "He may be assigned to a member of the troop committee to help him with his work."

 

Question - if a Troop is small, only one patrol, and doesn't have a Scribe, do they have no advancement, since they won't have anyone to record it?(This message has been edited by BrentAllen)

[Knot Head 10]

Knot Head wrote: "Star & Life know what they need and have to make a plan to go get it." I agree - but shouldn't T-2-1 Scouts also be coached on knowing what they need and making a plan to get where they want to go?

------------

 

I was probably a bit inarticulate (not surprising!)

 

The instructors use Troopmaster to assess who needs what so they can plan and refresh their (the instructors) skills if need be. It is pretty common for one young scout to tell the instructors can we do lashings next week, I need that and another to say No I need first aid, lets do that while a third says no lets do finding directions without a compass next week. The instructors decide (for the most part, sometimes adults give a little advice with the Socratic method) what skills they will teach on campouts or at skill time. Its a good opportunity for the guy to learn how to lead a group where people have competing agendas but the same goal. So I guess the adults are the bus mechanic, the instructors drive the bus with destination input from the younger scouts (the passengers). Young scouts learn to make their case and then accept the instructors decision. The adults dont need to prod the instructor, the young scouts do a pretty good job at that. What the adults will do is replace an instructor who after many chances just won't attend events or refuses to prepare a lesson plan. No free POR.

 

Reading what I just wrote I had to smile. In reality it doesnt work nearly as seamlessly and smoothly as what I just typed but we try! And we manage to advance.

 

Star & up are mostly merit badges so it is a little bit of a different situation. T21 a scout is teaching the young scouts. Star & up it is adults who are teaching scouts because primarily what they need are merit badges.

 

Tangent alert:

I agree with the comments about merit badge mill colleges. On the one hand they are fund raisers for some local troops and our troop will allow scouts to attend (sign the blue cards). Our troop will supply instructors for some badges to help these troops because it helps to fund their program. We have an engineer who does a great class at MB college and an ER nurse who is an excellent first aid counselor. They like to teach and are happy to do so. The stories the nurse tells of knife wounds and gunshot wounds keep the scouts full attention. These MB college troops need the funds, so we dont say no to a scout that is excited about getting a merit badge and wants to attend. Some of the teachers require work be done before class and are excellent teachers. On the other hand some of the teachers are less than excellent and sign off on stuff a little too easy IMHO. So in our troop the advancement chair or one of the MB counselors always reviews the material with the scout when the blue card comes back. Typically there are a couple of open items on the blue card the scout needs to finish up anyway. For camping well discuss what they covered in class as a way to make sure they have it down. I dont worry too much because our camping program is going to allow them to "learn by doing" a long time before they go to class with respect to tents, backpakcs, water filters, types of stoves, first aid and stuff like that. If a guy earns nuclear science or something unusual at an MB college we may not debrief him as well but we try. If it is citizenship in community well talk about what they learned in class and verify service hours. So we do a little QC on summer camp and merit badge cards. We review topics like first aid, environmental science, citizenship, camping, being a good citizen and family member all the time, not just when they are working on a merit badge. I expect most of you do too. And some MBs we just don't okay at MB college. Personal Management... well... you're gonna have to take that one from our troop treasurer.

 

 

[John-in-KC 311]

Personal Management... well... you're gonna have to take that one from our troop treasurer.

 

Knot Head:

 

WHY?

 

Merit Badges are about Adult Association as much as they are advancement. Are you telling us there is NO COUNSELOR in your District who is willing to work with a youth who's not "in house" to a particular Troop? Are you telling me there are no attorneys, CPAs, or bankers who are willing to give time to help raise youth by counseling merit badges?

[Eagle92 110]

John,

In my old troop, a scout HAD to take that Personal Management MB from the troop treasurer, but he was also a bank VP .

 

Seriously though, some SMs will direct scouts to specific MBCs. usually becasue they know the MBC is knowledgeable and has the experience to teach the topic. My troop was lucky in that we had some very qualified adults serving as MBCs, ie. the bank VP for PM, a cardiologist teaching FA and EP, etc.

[John-in-KC 311]

E92,

 

My point is diluting the Adult Association Method element of the MB program. The youth know Mrs. Smith.

 

Why not encourage them to meet someone new, someone they've not encountered before.

 

The Scoutmaster is the Gatekeeper. He/she is supposed to have some knowledge about what makes the boy tick, and who has the best fit amongst counselors.

 

One size does not fit all.

 

Why in-troop?

 

If a SM goes to District Roundtable, and breaks bread at various OA functions, he gets to know the people in his community. He should know people already, and be looking for folks who may not want to serve Scouting beyond being MBC, but are willing to MBC?

 

So I ask again: Why must it be just the Treasurer?

[Knot Head 10]

Personal Management... well... you're gonna have to take that one from our troop treasurer.

 

Knot Head:

 

WHY?

----------

 

He's a CPA and just a great teacher. The SM has said & I agree that he wants the guys to have the opportunity to have him for a teacher instead of going to a merit badge college. So he won't sign a blue card for PM at a MB college if it's offered.

 

----------

EDIT

Why not encourage them to meet someone new, someone they've not encountered before.

--------

Good question. In our case our treasurer is a guy whose sons have aged out. He does the books as a service and also teaches PM as a service. So the guys don't really get to know him until they take the class from him. They know who he is but since he doesn't camp with us so they don't really know him like the other adults until they do PM. It's usually their last eagle badge. No good reason... it just seems like it is always the last required MB guys start. Maybe they read the requirements and just kick the can down the road. :-)

(This message has been edited by knot head)

[fgoodwin 23]

@BrentAllen: of course you're right, if there's no scribe, then no one advances . . .

[Buffalo Skipper 13]

". . . if there's no scribe, then no one advances . . ."

Uh-oh!  One more thing to remind the SPL to bring up at Sunday's PLC.  And I thought he was going to get away with it....

[Eagle92 110]

John,

See ya point, and it is a good one. But sometimes the scouts don't know all the members of the committee, or work directly with all the adult leaders. And also sometimes you want the best working on MBs.

 

With my troop, unless the committee member went camping with the troop, the scouts really didn't know who was on the committee, except for COHs when those with uniforms wore them. And then we promptly forgot. Funny story, I knew the PM MBC as "Joey's dad" until approx. 3 months before my 18th B-day, when I found out I needed to go see him for PM. And I didn't know he was a VP of a bank until I went to his office for the first time, nd that was to get the paperwork signed off on the last requirements 5 days before my Bday.

 

As to First Aid, my SM thought that that was one of those vital skills that you need the best to teach. He knew one great FA MBC who worked summer camp and advised us to take it from him. GREAT TEACHER. When he stopped workign summer camp, the cardiologist stepped up to the plate. And while he was one the committee and later and ASM, we were so youth oriented that the ASMs didn't really step in, letting the Leadership Corp do the teaching and mentoring. Most contact with adults came on the car rides to and from events.