Help! Boys led their annual planning conference.....

[lrsap]

....and thought of some great ideas. Being new I only had them focus on the first 6 months. The older, experienced scouts took the lead and every month they thought of a great theme to work on and......THE MERIT BADGES THEY CAN PLAN TO EARN WHILE DOING SO!

 

The thing is, I think I'm ok with First Aid, Aquatics themed badges and Cooking. We are doing our planning in two phases, first phase high level then next week dates and details. That is where I will have a better opportunity to reel them back in from some of the others. They were so excited about taking the lead I was reluctant to stop them.

 

So, how much of a degradation to the MB program is it if they do all the planning for the MBs for the troop?

[KC9DDI]

Merit badges are part of the program, and there's nothing wrong with being aware of how they can tie in to the larger troop program.

 

But it's not clear whether the ENTIRE program they developed revolves around MBs (eg, troop meetings to work on MBs, campouts primarily to work on MBs), or if their just thinking of how certain MBs can tie in to program ideas. If it's the first case, it wouldn't be wrong to guide them towards developing a quality troop program which will ENABLE them to work on certain MB requirements, while also not degrading the other methods and goals of the MB program. If it's the later case, I don't see a problem.

[Scoutfish]

What was it that Jeff Foxworthy said about "child safe" furniture?

 

"WE didn't have child safe furniture when I was growing up. My dad let us pull the tv off the tv stand and would say: ' Bet he won't do that again!'"

 

Okay, not an exact quote, but you get the point.

 

Unless a scout is in sever jepordy of ruining without repair, his chance or earning Eagle rank..then let them make the mistake.

 

Honestly, in my lifetime, and in my experience with cub scouts, at work, and all my years as a firefighter / EMS - sometimes the best way to learn something - and learn it good - ios to make mistakes.

 

Short of physical harm, let them make a mistake in planning. Next time, they will not just have somebody saying to do it differently, but will have 1st hand past experience to draw from.

 

 

 

[Eagle92]

Mixed emotions.

 

Glad they planned it themselves. Focusing on MBs I have questions about.

 

Now if the meeting focuses on skill that can lead to a MB, that's one thing.

 

But if the sole purpose is a MB, HMMM.

 

Anyway read the Troop Meeting Planner vols 1-2, use to be called Woods Wisdom? each volumer gives ideas, stress IDEAS for meetings.

[lrsap]

The good news is they started with themes, then thought about MB possibilities for the troop afterward. I have to be honest, part of me would be real interested to see how they do trying to pull it off. Kind of a "Great ideas guys, here are some phone numbers" kind of thing.

[IM_Kathy]

sometimes the activities boys pick just leads to having a meeting or two that would tie into a MB. my son's troop is doing ice fishing in february - they are having fishing MB councilor come in and go over the knots and safety on the ice... also having the owner of the pond they'll be fishing on talk about bait. It won't earn them the entire MB, but it will get them a few things done and then the rest is on the boys to do with the councilor later if they want to complete the badge.

 

much the same way as boys working on communication MB or their star rank will lead different activities to teach lower rank requirements. and those often tie into things they will be doing on upcoming campouts too

[Venividi]

Coach the boys and help them arrive at a list of the advantages and disadadvantages of the program.

 

If all the MB's become group classes, share the MB program info with the PLC - the literature that describes the benefits of scouts calling a counsellor, meeting with a counsellor one on one (within the guides of safe scouting), and ask the PLC to structure their program within the guides of the MB program.

 

If the MB's are citizenship, personal mgmt, and other eagle required type badges, ask the PLC if they think that the younger scouts will be bored, or get much out of them at their age.

 

If they are inviting a MB counselor to teach a few related skills, with the scouts being responsible to contact the MB counselor individually to complete the badge, congratulate them and tell them you are proud of them. With a few wise conversations with the SPL, the boys just might arrive at this conclusion, even if that hadn't been their original plan.

 

Sounds like a great bunch of guys that will put together a good program, with your gentle guidance.

[Twocubdad]

This is no problem.

 

The trick is you don't turn troop meetings into MB classes and make the MB automatic at the end of the month. Use troop meetings instruction time to teach merit badge "topics." Don't try to complete specific requirements and sign off on the merit badges themselves. If a Scout wants to complete the MB, they have to take the initiative to pull a blue card, make an appointment with the counselor and use the knowledge he learned during troop meetings to complete the MB.

 

We do this all the time. Sometime a good number of the boys will go on to earn the MB, sometimes few or none will. That's okay too. Everyone learned something wether they get the badge or not.

[Beavah]

Yah, what TwoCubDad said.

 

Great to spend some meetings on Cooking. Boys will have fun, learn a lot, eat some good food. A Scout Learns is da first step to advancement, and scouts learn by doing.

 

After that, if they want to pursue a badge, the BSA expects that they experience the full individual attention and mentoring of a qualified counselor. So they get a name from the SM (or perhaps a couple of counselors are introduced at a meeting), make appointments to see the counselor, and work toward the badge. By learning stuff at the meeting they're part way along the first advancement step and have built up some enthusiasm, then the MBC helps 'em perfect their skills and learn more, before movin' on to Step 2 and testing them individually on the requirements.

 

Those boys who take it farther than the meeting are da ones who deserve the additional recognition the MB offers, and are da ones that an SPL can turn to the next time he needs lads at a meeting to help teach that skill. That makes learnin', effort, MB recognition and being "cool" and confident all line up da way they should.

 

Easy peasy.

 

Beavah