S.M. Conferences

[Scoutmaster Ron]

What I have read about these and what I have experienced have been two separate things. How do you conduct yours? Is it a casual conversation tl get to know the scout? I'm actually just an ASM and someday hope to get to serve my troop as S.M. What I have experienced as being the 2nd leader present is a re-test of the Scouts rank that he had just completed.

Also do you require the scout to be uniform? I have yet to see it written anywhere so I would think that you cannot require it or would you simply request it. Same with B.O.R.'s must you be in uniform?

 

[KoreaScouter]

I use outlines for mine, different for each rank, plus one for Scout and one for new families.

 

They're all different of course, but follow the same general template:

 

-Congratulations

-Ice-breaking, "put him at ease" small talk

-Discussion of specific requirements for the rank he's nearing

--Scout skills for first three (which TF requirement was the most difficult, which did you enjoy most, etc.)

--Leadership/service/MBs for Star+ (tell me about your service project, how do you see your responsibility to younger Scouts, etc)

-Discussion of some topic not specifically in the requirements, such as ethical decision making, or duty to God

-Discussion of upcoming BOR

-Review remaining requirements for next rank

-Ask what I can do to be a better SM

-Ask for any questions, problems, concerns

-Scout handshake

 

Takes about 15 minutes with a quiet lad, my longest was around 35 minutes with a future radio talk show host.

 

I don't re-test requirements at the SM conference; I expect the Green Bars to ensure they can tie knots and put a bandage on -- besides, I see their Scout skills, Scout Spirit, etc., at meetings & outings. I assume you're talking about Scouts going for TF, 2C, and 1C when you say they re-test requirements.

 

I conduct my conferences immediately before, during, or after Troop meetings or during outings. So, they're already in uniform. If I conducted one outside a Scout activity, I hope I'd remember to ask him to be in uniform -- I know I'll be, and it gives me an opportunity to correct any uniform mistakes before his BOR.

 

KS

 

[Joni4TA]

KS, thanks for the wisdom... you seem to have a good format going there. I appreciate finding the post.

[ManyIrons]

Ron,

 

Chap. 10 of the Scoutmaster Handbook covers the conferences in good detail. As with KS, I do my conferences during the meetings so being in uniform isn't an issue. However you're right, there is no requirement for a uniform. It is a method of Scouting not a requirement. Nowhere does it say "participate in a Scoutmaster conference (or board of review) in uniform". Of course I don't engage anyone in that discussion -- my time is better spent encouraging Scouts to see the benefits of wearing the uniform.(This message has been edited by ManyIrons)

[Bob White]

KS gives a great outline. the only thing I will add id that I always tried to do them during our monthly outing. Both the scouts and I had other responsibilities to focus on at the troop meeting.

 

BW

[Twocubdad]

This was the most hotly debated topic at SM/ASM training recently. One guy in my patrol proudly said conferences for Life Scout in his troop could last 12 hours! 12 hours! There have been Supreme Court justices confirmed in less time!

 

Retesting is the big debate. It is quite clear that spending the conference making the boy re-do every requirement in the book is not the point of a conference. But neither do the requirements need to be taboo. You can certainly ask the boys about meeting the requirements. "So, do you feel like you've done a good job meeting these requirements?" "If I keel over, you're ready to jump in and do CPR?" Hopefully the Scout will be confident and comfortable enough to say, "You know, Mr. Ron, I still don't get how to tie a bowline." You may then spend a few minutes tying knots. It's not a pass/fail, but you've created a teaching moment, you've learned something about how the troop is operating and you're building a relationship with the Scout. You wouldn't have done all those things if you had thrown a rope at the kid and ordered him to tie five different knots.

 

 

[EagleInKY]

I conduct SCs very informally. They are usually at meetings, but often occur on campouts as well. There is no uniform requirement.

 

I don't follow any particular outline. It's meant purely as a way to get the boy to talk to me and feel at ease going into the BOR. Since we're a small troop (15 boys), I talk to each boy regularly. Therefore, there is not a lot of "new" stuff that comes out.

 

Here's my informal outline:

- Congratulate him on where he is. Ask him if he's excited to be ready for ____ rank.

- How are things going? (just trying to make him feel comfortable)

- Explain the BOR process. For younger scouts this is very important.

- Ask him about his favorite things to do in scouts. If there are any particular items that I can remember, I'll try to get him to talk about them.

- Ask him what he would change about scouts/his troop/his patrol. I sometimes get some interesting answers to this.

- If we've had any behavior problems, I'll talk to him about them.

- Ask him how school is going. What's his favorite subject? I try to encourage him to then pursue like subjects in scouts. For example, if he says "science", I'll mention some of the science related merit badges.

- I also try to get him to ask me a question. That's always hard.

- Encourage him again for his BOR and for his next rank advancement. Tell him that I'm confident he'll do great in the BOR.

 

Now, I don't always hit every point. It varies from boy-to-boy. They range from 5 minutes to 20 minutes. They probably average around 10 or so.