realignment take two

[Lisabob 13]

It is that time of year when patrol realignments seem to happen in our troop and probably in other troops too. I'd like to know how your troop decides who will be in which patrols moving forward, and particularly, what happens when you have boys that no other patrol wants in their group?

 

Situation: One of our NSPs from last year will probably be re-juggled eventually. There are three scouts in that group who each have behavioral issues and who have never gotten along with each other. A couple of them have a long history of difficulty (from school and other extra curriculars). This is a tough patrol for any other boys to be part of as a result. There's been talk of splitting them up in order to reduce the friction, but other scouts in other patrols are horrified by the idea of having these guys in THEIR reasonably functional patrols.

 

Who makes the call here?

[BrentAllen 10]

I would say the PLC, under the direction of the SM. I would suggest a little counseling to the PLC, from either the SM or SPL, reviewing the Scout Law and Oath, and asking them to put themselves in the shoes of those 3 Scouts. How would they feel if no one wanted them in their patrol? This will be a tough meeting for the PLC, working out these arrangements, but it should also be a great learning lesson.

 

Do you have 3 other patrols those three boys could be split amongst? If not, it will be a tougher call.

[Stosh 3452]

Not many, if any, like my comments, but I'll offer them up for discussion. Your mileage may vary.

 

It is these kinds of situations that separates the boy-led patrols from the SM/PLC dictated patrols. I lump the two together because if the SM is running the show, he/she has control over the PLC as well.

 

First of all, what do the boys of the NBP have to say about the situation? Are they complaining about these boys, or is it just an issue of outside the patrol adult supervision observations? Does the majority of members of the NBP want these boys out or is it just 3 boys not mixing but get along with the rest of the patrol on their own? Not much info here to evaluate, but if the SM and PLC are going to ASSIST in SUPPORTING/HELPING the patrol, the patrol needs to identify their problem, work it out, or ask for ASSISTANCE or SUGGESTIONS from the PLC for some ideas to try to correct the PATROL'S problem. At this point it is best to confine the problem to just the one patrol and have them work on a workable solution with GUIDANCE from outside resources. It will be an excellent, real-world opportunity for problem-solving and teamwork. Remember the games everyone plays at C.O.P.E.? Well, this is for real and it's for reasons of C.O.P.E. that we give these tools to the boys.

 

The SM/Troop led knee-jerk reaction would be to split up the boys and put one in each of the other patrols. This is swell. Before you had one patrol with a problem, now you have three, and wereas it was 3 boys that were a problem, now you have all the member of three patrols with a problem. Don't pour water on a grease fire. All you'll do is spread it.

 

Fortunately all three boys are in the same patrol! Having boys from one patrol fighting with boys of another is a far bigger problem.

My suggestion would be to offer for the consideration of the patrol, now that they're no longer the NBP, to take on an adult of their choice from the ASM's to be their MENTOR/ADVISOR. They might accept this process in light of the fact that their Troop Guide would be moving on to the new NBP. If you have a skilled mature older boy JASM who has some strong leadership skills and an understanding of patrol-method scouting if he, rather than an ASM adult to be their patrol mentor/guide. Of course the person, if the patrol wishes them to be involved, would focus on working directly with these three boys on interpersonal skills, anger management, etc. and would have relatively little to do with the actual operation of the patrol, which would be left to the patrol as a whole. By having direct support for resolution of the conflict of the three boys, the problem is contained, address, somewhat isolated and the rest of the patrol can still function and develop. As the boys come to maturity or drop out because of the increased observation and attention, the situation will resolve itself. Remember these boys need BSA as much, if not more than the others.

 

1) Identify the problem - boys not getting along.

 

2) Identify the scope of the problem - 3 boys of one patrol

 

3) Contain the problem - Don't triple your problem by scattering it amongst the other boys. Keep them where you have them in one spot. This is why it's important to keep those not involved out of the problem. To make this a troop wide problem is not necessary. The PLC need not even have this on their agenda. It's a one patrol only situation.

 

4) Work with the problem directly - These boys will need to develop social and interpersonal skills to deal with each other. They are not getting this at home because they are separate at that point. But when they come together at school or scouts, the problem arises. The school probably just tolerates it or separates them into different parts of the classroom or different classrooms, which only postpones the ability of these three to ever learn how to deal with this kind of interpersonal conflict. It's time to have someone work directly with these boys, mentering, guiding, aiding, coaching, being involved with them to help the three cope. It is what a troop/adult support system is supposed to do, be there to help not direct. These boys get plenty of mandates, confinements, time-outs, and other disciplinary measures meted out to them at school. Maybe the scout program can step up to the plate and help them grow and develop as young men. Obviously what the school is doing isn't working. Doing any different would be better than repeating someone else's failures.

 

And yes, this brings back fond memories of my early scout years. The only boy that I couldn't get along with in Cub Scouts, pushing and shoving, and once a free-for-all in the back yard of the Den Mother's house, went on to be my closest friend in high school.

 

And yes, boys do grow up with proper guidance and understanding.

 

Stosh

[DugNevius 10]

stosh, you often state that a "Troop Method" leads to a SM taking over or dictating, but wouldnt an ASM acting inside a patrol to be in someways the PL of 3 boys also be adults dictating and taking away from the leadership experiences of the youth?

[JerseyJohn 10]

Lisabob,

 

My scenario in the Patrol Realignment thread is similar.

 

My SPL, the PL and I talked and it was decided to give them until the end of this year to get their act together. Knock of the bickering, everyone do their duty, no whining, no more BS at campouts, etc. The troop will not allow negative interactions of the few, to take away from the positive learning experiences and interactions of the many.

 

Should it come down to it, the two patrol's in question (both crossed last year) are going to be divided by rank, ability, and skill. This will provide for more stratified patrols.

 

It has been my experience that boys that no one else wants in their patrols are generally the one's who do not participate. Do you have enough of them to form their own patrol. Call them the Part Time Patrol - if you will. This would force one of them to take charge and step up.

 

If a 3 of 8 has no interest in advancing, carry on, and generally are in scouts for camping I would make it clearly known to the few that that is not what the BSA is about. If they just want to go camping, tell them to ask their parents to take them. If they want to become better men today, tomorrow and next year, tell them to get with the program and stop wasting your time.

 

This can also be addressed during Scout Spirit review. Not signing off on that once, twice, or three times will make them open their eye's.

 

My two cents.

YIS,

John

[Stosh 3452]

Dug,

 

To a certain degree yes. But if the PL and APL are spending all their time refereeing the 3 troublemakers, then in reality the non-elected boys are running the show. The ASM within the patrol would be a show of support for the PL and APL so they can be freed up to do their job. The boys continue to led and be more effective and the ASM in a supporting role maintains disciplinary control over the boys. In all my comments, I never suggested the adults and Troop were not to be involved with the patrol in a supportive role. That is why they are there. A boy-led patrol needs guidance and support and will need to turn to someone for assistance at different times for different reasons. In this case if they ask for help, there's nothing wrong with a SM or ASM or PLC giving help.

 

You seem to imply that I don't want the troop or adults involved with the patrols. Quite the contrary, the troop and it's PLC and all adults need to work cooperatively with the patrols as the patrols have need of them. Cooperatively can also mean many things. Suggestions on problem solving, guidance, encouragement, training, or whatever the patrol is in need of. If a patrol wishes to go on a patrol outing without the troop, I find nothing wrong with them asking the SM/ASM's for help lining up rides and supervisory YP trained adults to make it happen.