Boy Scout rank advancement

[SMT224 10]

Sounds like you're on the right track - as others has said, the best thing you can do is help him to learn to swim. It will serve him for a lifetime.

 

In our Troop, all Scouts have three choices at sumer camp: they have their swimming MB, they are working on their swimming MB, or they are in instructional swimming. Not everyone has to earn the swimming MB, but everyone has to learn to swim.

[qwazse 4346]

Following on http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=291838&p=5 ...

 

Just had a 4th year scout finally suck it up and pass his swim test in the lake at camp. When he came out, I said, "Boy, you just swam that like a 1st class scout!"

 

He could have done it in a pool at any time, but he wanted to win "the head game." Getting signed off for it any other way just wouldn't have been the same.

 

Wouldn't you know that wasn't his last requirement? He needed to talk to someone about rights and responsibilities. We pointed out that there was a police officer among the adults in camp, but he put off meeting with the guy until the last day! Too late to pull a committee together for his BOR.

 

Go figure.

[Venividi 35]

qwazse,

 

It's easy to figure - if you have a fun program that is constantly providing new challenges, many of the boys are there for the fun. Very likely the lad isn't there for advancement, and isn't concerned about it. It is typically adults that get wrapped around the advancement axle, thinking that they (ie. adult leaders) are not successful if the boys aren't advancing as quickly as the adults would like them to.

[IM_Kathy 32]

I've worked with 2 boys and 1 adult teaching swimming to pass the swim test (the adult was going to boundry waters and didn't realize the adults had to pass the test too so had to learn in just a couple of months)

 

key is to figure out what it is they struggle with - some it's endurence, some it's being on their back, some it's face in water... whatever it is there can be a way to make it easier on them. I remind them it's not a timed test - I don't care how long it takes them as long as they don't stop. Once they surface they can keep their face out of the water. If the want to use goggles then go ahead.

 

We got a waver for 1 scout who was healing from a battle with cancer and just didn't have the strength to do it. He still doesn't, but he's closer. He still tests with everyone each year for canoeing purposes. He can now do the distance on forward stroke, just can't do the elementary yet so will be working on that and hopefully in another year he may have that down well enough to pass. He may never complete the swimming MB, but he's working on the hiking one right now.

[Beavah 205]

key is to figure out what it is they struggle with - some it's endurence, some it's being on their back, some it's face in water... whatever it is there can be a way to make it easier on them.

 

What, yeh mean da key is not to EDGE more loudly?

 

Agree 100%

 

B

 

[qwazse 4346]

V,

 

Spot on. The new shot-gun range and the climbing instructors -- mostly female this year -- held his attention. (Talk about your challenging outdoor program experience ) But he had plenty of down-time at camp. We're talking literally walking over to the fire-circle, sitting down and talking to a dad who he was quite familiar with for five minutes.

 

The committee were dying to do his board of review, but (and I'm proud of them for this) like good adults they held their tongues.

 

Anyway it is what it is.

 

K,

 

I tried everything you mentioned (including offering to get a waiver) with this kid. I don't think in his board of review, this kid will complain that we didn't try/offer them all.

 

He just needed to build up the courage to get it done. Often that takes one thing that no "1st Class 1st Year" agenda can offer: time.

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

My almost-14 year old was asking lots of questions about Venturing and Sea Scouts after seeing their fairer-sex representatives at Summer Camp.

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

I agree about doing it at summer camp. The swimming instructors I saw were great with the struggling swimmers--doing whatever it would take to get them pass the swim test. Saw them work with one boy for 4 hours one-on-one. When he finally passed I never saw a bigger smile.