Stosh 3452 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 As well as you should be, the program should be as much of an adventure for the adults as it is for the scouts. If the adults are on an adrenalin rush, the boys will be right there with you. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
LeCastor 641 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Absolutely! Watching a patrol come together and lead themselves is a glorious thing to behold for a Scouter. Just this week at our Troop meeting, the younger patrol led us with an opening and took off to practice stretcher-building, fireman's carry, and other rescue methods...by themselves. Yes, they did it themselves without a pesky Scouter getting in there and mucking up the works! Our venture patrol's attendance has been spotty lately due to "homework" and "social engagements", but I'm trying to spark a little inter-patrol competition between the younger patrol and these older guys. It's also a veiled attempt to keep the older guys there as mentors to the 12-yr olds. Link to post Share on other sites
Sentinel947 1205 Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Sat down and chatted with the SPL and ASPL tonight. Tried my hardest to ask questions, get them to start thinking about things. They agreed to talk to the PLC next month about the Patrol Method and the changes they want to make. I'm going to keep talking to them the next few weeks and guide them through the process. Even though they've been to NYLT, that doesn't teach them How to transition a troop to the patrol method, so they are a little reliant on me to guide them. I've become the point adult to help them. I know the SPL's and the PLC can come up with answers to some of the issues that need addressing. Things are sailing smoothly right now, and the first storm will be a challenge. I know they can handle it. Sentinel947 Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 It's going to take a while to build trust. They've heard lip-service from adults before and they're kinda immune to it. The adults talk big ideas, but are always quick to pull the rug out from under them whenever they want. That first storm for them is going to feel like a rug to them. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
Sentinel947 1205 Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 It's going to take a while to build trust. They've heard lip-service from adults before and they're kinda immune to it. The adults talk big ideas, but are always quick to pull the rug out from under them whenever they want. That first storm for them is going to feel like a rug to them. Stosh Yea I think that's one place where being so young is an advantage instead of a liability. I've been in their shoes only a few years ago. And if the patrol method is going well, it should be a bunch of little storms. =) Link to post Share on other sites
Sentinel947 1205 Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Another update. This Wednesday the SPL and ASPL are going to sit down with the PLC and discuss the changes they would like to make. They seem really excited and I hope the patrol leaders will be similarly enthusiastic about this. Link to post Share on other sites
Sentinel947 1205 Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Tonight being Wednesday, the PLC met to discuss some business and usual, and the SPL led a discussion about the patrol method. I deliberately didn't give the SPL talking points or a syllabus to use, I discussed with him what he want to talk about, but I feel like the SPL's and the PL's need to own the transition process, not just the final result. There's plenty of skepticism, but it seems like things will smooth out as time goes on. The SPL did as good a job as any 15 year old explaining the patrol method. Better then some adults I've met. The Scoutmaster seems to have bought in from the last time we talked. Hit some rough patches in the PLC, but I still believe the Scouts can figure things out as long as the adults let them make decisions and coach em if they get truly stuck. "Train em, Trust em, let them lead!" 1 Link to post Share on other sites
scoutergipper 277 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 It's great how they figure out how things work best for them. Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 It's great how they figure out how things work best for them. This is one of the first lessons I learned as an adult working with kids. They are not as dumb as we adults think they are. When they have skin in the game and allowed to make choices on their own, yes occasionally they'll make dumb choices (but then so do adults), but for the most part they are nervous about doing it right so they work hard at it and do well. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
Sentinel947 1205 Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Just got home from a camping trip. First Patrol method outing in the troop for about 7-8 years. The SPL did a wonderful job coaching up his Patrol Leaders and they rose to the occasion. The Adults along had a lightbulb moment for sure. Good stuff all around. Sentinel947 Link to post Share on other sites
LeCastor 641 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 The Adults along had a lightbulb moment for sure. Good stuff all around. Sentinel947 I'm so glad this is working well for your Troop! Though, as Stosh and the Gipper said above, the Scouts figure it out and work well together. It's the adults we need to convince to stay out of the way. Glad to hear that your adult volunteers swy the light, as it were, on this outing. Were there any specific moments you remember where the adults "got it"? Link to post Share on other sites
Eagledad 2777 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I'm so glad this is working well for your Troop! Though, as Stosh and the Gipper said above, the Scouts figure it out and work well together. It's the adults we need to convince to stay out of the way. Yes, but it's not so much convincing that is needed as just practice. Boy run is not anymore natural to parents than it is for their sons. Adults need to learn faster than the scouts just so they can figure out how to stay out of the way. Adults must grow so the scouts can grow. Troops that struggle the most with any kind of change are the ones that don't try to change with the maturing performance of the scouts. Sentinel obviously has a vision and the willingness to change for that vision. Well done. Barry Link to post Share on other sites
LeCastor 641 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Yes, but it's not so much convincing that is needed as just practice. Boy run is not anymore natural to parents than it is for their sons. Adults need to learn faster than the scouts just so they can figure out how to stay out of the way. Adults must grow so the scouts can grow. Troops that struggle the most with any kind of change are the ones that don't try to change with the maturing performance of the scouts. Sentinel obviously has a vision and the willingness to change for that vision. Well done. Barry Of course, Barry. But I think it took a little convincing on Sentinel's part to even get the adults on-board in the first place. Once everyone learns it kind of chugs along with minor tweaks here and there, in my experience. Link to post Share on other sites
Sentinel947 1205 Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 Of course, Barry. But I think it took a little convincing on Sentinel's part to even get the adults on-board in the first place. Once everyone learns it kind of chugs along with minor tweaks here and there, in my experience. LeCastor: It's taken me about a year of pushing this for my fellow volunteers to see things from my perspective. The AHA! moment came once when the Scouts were cooking breakfast. in separate patrols about 100 feet apart from any other patrol. When the Scoutmaster looked at me and simply remarked. "It's so much less chaotic then if we were all under the dining fly." Another was when the Assistant Scoutmaster who's definitely the silent kinda guy held out his hand for a fist bumb and said "I think this Patrol method stuff went really well." Wasn't that big of changes, simply created distance between patrols for cooking and tents. Gave them more autonomy for activities. Haven't really started any Patrol identity stuff yet like flags/patches/ competitions. Just gotta keep taking some baby steps. Sentinel947 Link to post Share on other sites
LeCastor 641 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Awesome Link to post Share on other sites
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