BALOO - What Do You Wish You Were Told

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

I would break the class into 3 parts.

 

Part 1-8am Basic training for the clueless. Before the herd.

Part 2-930 to 4 Basic Baloo -G2SS, boys and fire, camp games,common safety problems.

Part 3 -helpful tips, tour permits, cocktails.

[AnnLaurelB 10]

TURTLE FOR THE *WIN*!!!

 

Mimosas during the first portion would NOT come amiss, either! :0)

[Scoutfish 16]

"I would say to new campmasters that we can never underestimate the fun of simply running around banging things with sticks."

 

One of the simplest things you can bring that will keep kids busy burning off energy without overkill on the skills and activities is a NERF football.

 

WE bring two or three.

 

Boys do get tired of scout activitiesm even if it means running around.

 

A sensless completely chaotic , unorganized game of "Everybody clobber the unlucky fool who happens to be holding the ball", does alot to burn off energy while also haveing a needed break from earning/learning activities.

 

I had to explain to alot of parents that "down Time" did not mean nap time. It just means normal time.

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

 

 

Actually campmasters don't belong to a particular unit......they are the people you check in and out with at just about every boy scout camp I have been too.

 

I found a job description.....never seen a campmaster do any of it. Usually I have see them riding around on the gator or pickup, drinking coffee and checking the KYBO for TP. I am sure they do more....Just never seen it.

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/Campmasters/02.aspx

 

 

[AnnLaurelB 10]

Wrong label was campmaster.

 

Was meaning humanoid selected by each unit to seeing over camping trip who is.

[momof2cubs 10]

You want to know what I wish for BALOO? I wish they would have spent LESS time making fun of Cub Scout Camping (in relation to Boy Scout Camping) and MORE time training us on explaining what Cub Scout Camping is all about to never-been-camping-before parents.

 

Let me give you a for instance during the equipment session. Trainer hold up the kind of sleeping bag every little kid has (stuffy rolled up one) that they use for sleepovers in the basement. "THIS is the sleeping bag I has when I was in Cub Scouts" (roaring guffaws from the rest of the trainers - only thing missing was the pointing at us and laughing). Then he holds up the $300 REI slim backpacking sleeping bag that fits practically in the palm of your hand and weights 0.0001 oz. "THIS is what I use now for Boy Scouts"

 

And that went on the ENTIRE TIME. They could not have been more condescending towards Cub Scouting. Which, by the way, is an attitude I see often.

 

Also my BALOO training went on all day. In the rain. Outdoors. As it should be.

[Basementdweller 608]

Been to a few of those.......Here is my gear, far superior to what your going to have........

 

Psssst, just an fyi....REI stands for "Really expensive inside." I have ran into a lot of "Scouting outdoor experts" That think just because there gear didn't come from one of the box stores that makes them an expert. Just means they have a lot of money to spend.

 

 

Woodbadge, they did a presentation on Backpacking stoves.....it was the absolute dumbest things I have ever witnessed. All of the stoves were brand new to the point of having boxes behind them and never looked like they had been lit. They even taught incorrect information to the group. I was amazed.

 

When I teach outdoor gear to the troop, pack and crew. I like to show the spectrum of possibilities. I would show the spongebob sleeping bag, and then the montbell bag. But I would have shown the differences between the two.. Construction, fill, zippers, air baffles, shape...I would have also shown the $40 Dick's or Gander Mountain Bag..... As a trainer my job is to provide information and let the student decide for themselves.

 

 

 

 

[Eagle92 110]

M2C,

 

I am so sorry to hear about that, especially at a training. I know the attitude you are facing as I've seen it too. And I admit I have had it as well, even recently as a CS leader when I saw new parents who didn't know much about camping come to an event and cause problems for the staff.

 

BUT I also know that the key is education for the new folks and patience for the leaders. Oh and BOY SCOUT LEADERS SETTING THE EXAMPLE, but I digrees (caps to complain, I've heard complaints abotu what CS parents do, then see the same person doing the exact same thing, UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!)

 

Now I admit I do show off some of the expensive stuff, and state that it may be a better investment. But I also show alot of the "old school" stuff that can be found in older BSHBs and BSFBs to keep it as economical as possible. I also talk about using resources to get gear, i.e. ebay, surplus stores, boy scouts selling their gear, etc.

[Eagle92 110]

Base and I crossposted. Base is spot on in his last paragraph.

 

When I teach outdoor gear to the troop, pack and crew. I like to show the spectrum of possibilities. I would show the spongebob sleeping bag, and then the montbell bag. But I would have shown the differences between the two.. Construction, fill, zippers, air baffles, shape...I would have also shown the $40 Dick's or Gander Mountain Bag..... As a trainer my job is to provide information and let the student decide for themselves.

[ScoutNut 147]

As many here have shown, while the BALOO syllabus is used nationwide, and while if followed, it does a pretty good job of covering many of the issues you all have brought up here, training, particularly one as segmented as BALOO, is only as good as the trainers delivering it.

 

Course Directors, you need to talk to your staff, and make sure that they understand the concepts they are teaching, and the audience they are teaching them to. You need to make sure that your staff has the needed props/equipment. Encourage them to provide their own, additional, handouts on the subjects they are covering. Make sure YOU have handouts covering all council specific policies, and places to find relevant information.

 

For those asking that Campfire instruction be cut out, or cut back to watching a quick demo by others, because everyone already does those same things at their monthly Pack meetings, I must state that it will not happen. At least not in any of the BALOO courses I am Director for. Not every Pack uses songs, skits, or run-ons. Not everyone even knows what they are, much less what BSA's policies on them are. Also a Campfire program is NOT the same as a Pack meeting. There are no awards, or Pack announcements, just fun that follows the flames. As you keep on stressing, BALOO participants, in many cases, are newbies, and not just to camping. Course Directors, can encourage the Campfire trainer to do one skit/song/run-on (with or without staff help), but the rest should be the participants doing it hands-on. Hands-on learning for Campfire, food prep, games, etc, works much better than simply watching/listening to someone else do it. It is also more FUN!

 

BALOO participants, did you make sure to put all of these comments on the feedback form you were given at the end of the class? Venting here is great, but it will not help to improve future BALOO classes in your council. Filling in, and returning, feedback forms will. If you are not given a feedback form, send an email note to your Council/District Training Chair with your feedback.

 

[moosetracker 132]

Well my campfire program was 3 hours of the course.. You can get through what you want to without making it the longest, most stressed part of the entire course.. Can't you?

[AnnLaurelB 10]

I think we're definitely seeing some personal slants on this stuff. My BALOO course spent very LITTLE time on on the actual Campfire stuff. Oh, they gave out a little sheet with some skit ideas and websites where you can find good stories and stuff (it was probably that Ultimate Camping one, which IS wonderful!).

 

But they spent a LO-O-OT of time on cooking and washing up systems, for example. That was just what THOSE trainers had felt was important info.

 

They DID cover stuff like, "Have the boys change into completely clean clothes BEFORE bed, to stay warmer." (Although this certainly helped ME stay warmer, I had a VERY hard time convincing even the other adults that it made a difference. Most of them just slept in their clothes, despite my exhortations.)

 

Our session was taught by two VERY-pro-Cubbie people! They didn't make fun of Cub Camping AT ALL! They were dedicated to making it gradeschool-friendly, and I appreciated that.

 

I think over an entire nation, you're just going to have different slants on things, based on demographics, and the personal leanings and experiences of the ones standing up there doing the training.

[Scoutfish 16]

We spent a couple hours on the campfire stuff.

 

And as mentioned beforr, a handfull of boys from some troop was there too. They diod skits, helped with the songs, run ons, and told us what they thought was cool and what wasn't.

 

We also got a good look at what kind of humore to expect to use for that age range.

[ScoutNut 147]

As I said, the training is only as good as the trainers.

 

According to the BALOO syllabus I have, the entire Campfire segment should last no more than 60 minutes. That includes planning, and the Campfire demo itself.

 

Spending 3 hours on the Campfire program is ridiculous. That means that 2 hours worth of other segments of the training were not done. If you cut out all breaks, cut back every other training segment, including lunch, by 5-10 minutes, and started 20-30 minutes early, you might pull that off, but it sure messes up the training, and there is no need for it.

 

Shame on your BALOO Course Director.

[Basementdweller 608]

Sooo to recap for nothing more than my info

 

Three separate sessions.

 

Session 1 complete beginners.....

 

Gear........Why, how it is used, selection tips, care and feeding

Stoves

Lanterns

sleeping bags

Sleeping Pads

tents

Personal hygiene

 

Session 2.....Fun Stuff......Intermidiate

Campfire

Food

activities

 

 

Session 3......everyone

Required paper work Training

Food care

Dish care

First aid????

Approved camps.

Trash and waste management

Camp safety