Patrol Leaders and The Scoutmaster

[Eamonn 61]

With no disrespect intended I think it's strange that we have a couple of Lads posting that they want to be given more responsibility and at the same time we are looking at what might be a good reason to remove a Patrol Leader. It's a strange world!!

There is a scene in one of the Scoutmaster Specific Training videos, where the SPL goes to the SM after something hasn't worked out as well as it should. The pair of them reflect on why it didn't work. The SM is kind, good humored and very supportive. I love that part of the movie.

In my travels around the District, even when I visit the better troops I see SM's doing lots of things, but rarely do I see them taking the time after a meeting to go over things with the SPL, rarely do I see them really supporting the Patrol Leaders. Every now and then I hear a SM say to a Scout "Did you ask your Patrol Leader?" Of course at times the reply to that is, "I did but he don't know!!"

Training the Patrol Leaders is the job of the SM. Life would be so much easier if packing them all off to a JLTC or what ever the new one is called? And they came back like clones ready to be the worlds greatest Patrol Leaders. Or if we could just do the in house JLT and never have to worry about this training stuff again till the next batch comes along.But life isn't that easy.

A little while back I was shocked when I heard that one of the better troops in the District was cutting a meeting out, they went from 4 meetings a month down to 3. When I met the SM he told me that he cut a meeting out so he could spent that new time working with the Patrol Leaders and hold a PLC meeting.

I used to hold our PLC meetings on a Saturday afternoon, while there was a business meeting, this was a time to ensure that the PL's had the skills needed for the month, a time to try new and sometimes crazy ideas.

But just as important it was My time.

My time to really get to know these Lads (In a troop of 90 Scouts at times I never really got to know a Lad well until he became a PL)

It was my time to make these Lads feel special.A round of soda pop or candy bars at the business meeting went a very long way.It was my time to listen to them and find out how things were really going.

It took me a very long time to get this Patrol Method thing close to being right. I made every mistake that could be made, I thought for a while having these guys hear my program and return to their Patrols with the information was how it worked. I thought that having them fill in the blanks of my wonderful ideas was how it worked. I was so busy talking I never heard them. I was so busy doing stuff that they ought to be doing I never had time to support them or do the needed on the job training.

I loved KS and the Milk Bone. I will use that. Sure I had Lads that were not the greatest leaders, I also had some of the brightest and best. I never in the 11 years I served as SM had reason to remove a Lad, I did have a few Lads that needed a very friendly kick in the pants. Most fell someplace between, but were so keen to do a good job and not let their Patrol down, that life wasn't that bad.

I of course was younger then and really could be the Big Brother that BP spoke of. It has been a long time, maybe now I'm too old and contrary?

Eamonn.

[Bob White 20]

Eammon,

I cannot tell you how much I enjoy your posts.

 

Right on the money. Who would of thought that you could learn the about the best way to deliver scouting by going to BSA leader training.

 

Outstanding post!

 

BW

[acco40 95]

"A little while back I was shocked when I heard that one of the better troops in the District was cutting a meeting out, they went from 4 meetings a month down to 3. When I met the SM he told me that he cut a meeting out so he could spent that new time working with the Patrol Leaders and hold a PLC meeting."

 

Yikes! That is what we do. After months of trying to hold PLC meetings and getting poor attendance I suggested the above. We meet on Mondays {as all good troops do :-) } and the Monday after an outing we have hold the PLC. Attendance has picked up. I've also brought pop (soda to some, Coke to many Georgians) and pizza on occasion.

 

In my view the PLC members are still to passive. They are waiting to take their cue from the adults. Yes they are young (SPL - 14, ASPL - 13, 4 PLs - 14, 16, 12 and 12) but they should bring something to the table and not sit passively. It is getting better.

 

One of the highlights of being a SM is getting to witness the personal growth of the boys. One thing I've noticed is that the parents of the boys seem to be much more interested in Johnny's advancement and not his leadership/organizational skills. For me it is just the opposite.

 

[Eagledad 2779]

>>My time to really get to know these Lads (In a troop of 90 Scouts at times I never really got to know a Lad well until he became a PL)

It was my time to make these Lads feel special.A round of soda pop or candy bars at the business meeting went a very long way.It was my time to listen to them and find out how things were really going.