VAordeal 10 Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 Hi all! Currently i am working on my Communications merit badge and i want some feedback on something. One of the requirments is to teach a skill to a group or to a paticular person. I am in an easy position to do this as i am a den chief for a group of very attentive Webelos. But i dont know what i should teach. I am terible with knots. I can olny tie my shoes and tie a square knot. I have been trying to come up with something but my mind keeps drawing a blank. If i could get some feedback I'd greatly appreciate it, thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 Let me see... Pitch a tent Lay a fire Cook a meal Purify water Pack a backpack etc etc etc Link to post Share on other sites
scoutingagain 20 Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 VA, Your not going to like this, but my suggestion is to teach knots. There was a young scout in the troop I serve that could barely do knots. He was very discouraged about knots. Sure he managed to remember them sufficiently at the time to make second and first class, but even he admitted he never mastered them. ...Until he was asked to take on the role of Troop Guide. He was forced to learn knots, and help the new scouts learn them. He now knows his knots better than most. If you want to learn something, teach it. Pick at least two of the knots you don't know well and agree to teach them. Then pick two more. No point in teaching something you already know. Work with your Den Leader and I'm sure you can learn the knots well enough to teach them. You asked for advice. Good luck. SA Link to post Share on other sites
johndaigler 10 Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 Scoutingagain, you beat me to the punch, but you are totally on target!!!! VAOrdeal, check out pages 349 - 351 in that Webelos handbook!! A Scout is Brave!!! jd Link to post Share on other sites
torribug 10 Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 Don't forget to make it a game and make it fun! My son is a den chief for Webelos, but didn't do knots. Instead, he made a game of "concentration" with pictures of the scout sign, scout salute, scout handshake, and the scout motto and slogan. He got credit for teaching AND for supplying a game (one of your requirements for Den Chief). I agree with the others that if you are weak on knots, you should teach them. We learn to do what we must teach. I would suggest learning a couple of the knots, then make a game of it to make it fun. Chances are, if you are frustrated, they will be, too, but if you make it a game, there's less chance to get frustrated. BUG Link to post Share on other sites
anarchist 10 Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 VAordeal, Y not KNOTS? one of the best ways to learn is to have to teach! Just turned in the paperwork for a scout who two years ago wanted to help me with a new scout patrol shakedown campout...wanted to teach anything but cooking and KNOTS...so I gave him the...KNOT classs! Oh, by the way, did I mention the paperwork was his Eagle package?! don't run from difficulty, embrace it, it makes us stronger and wiser... Link to post Share on other sites
VAordeal 10 Posted February 22, 2005 Author Share Posted February 22, 2005 Thanks for the advice everyone. I think one detail i forgot to mention was that just last week they learned knots from the co-den chief as he is doing that for his requirement for the merit badge. I think i will go with teaching them to pack a back pack. Thanks for that one Semper. Thanks again for all of your suggestions. Link to post Share on other sites
anarchist 10 Posted February 23, 2005 Share Posted February 23, 2005 Back packing is ok too, but I bet if you tested them, 80% would not be able to "run the knot boards"...Most boys do not learn their knots in one or two or three sessions....They place the lesson in short-term memory and after ten minutes of x-Box they have replaced that memory with video garbage... If you get a chance make a couple of games for them to test this...First, get a small dowel and suspend the required lengths of rope (for number of knots being taught)...ask each boy to identify the knots. Keep score. Second is to make knot boards...small plaques with four holes drilled ...(two on top side by side, and two on bottom). Thread two pieces of rope through the holes; top rope you tie the 'demo' knot, in the middle of the board write/tape card with name of knot. Bottom piece of rope is for them to copy the knot...time them...make it a game with a piece of jerky or candy as a prize! ....that is, if they can tie (remember)the knots to begin with... Teaching is usually an on going activity... repetition ...repetition...repetition...but make all lessons (in this or any other topic fun) ... One more thing VAordeal...I just (MOnday night) sat on a Board of Review for young scout (for his second class)... When I asked what his troop (youth leaders) could do better to help him advance...he answered "more hands on classes, not just telling us things". So often when we teach we fall into the 'lecture and show' trap! Try to always include a participation aspect to your teaching...a 'hands on do it yourself' segment. He had just come from two classes on pioneering skills...In the first, a life scout had 'lectured' about which lashings to use for a tower or bridge project and in the second class (camp gadgets) the star scout let them try to do it themselves while he demonstrated the lashings...hands on building! And our young second (new) class scout knew which lesson was better! Try to learn from this... If you choose to teach back-packing; let the Webelos pack your bag, let them touch and inspect the gear, have them roll or stuff a sleeping bag into the stuff sack. Let them do it not watch it being done! Have them 'heft' the full pack up on their own backs for a few minutes. Have a mis-packed backpack (with the weight in the wrong place) so they can feel the difference...do it right! Make it fun! Link to post Share on other sites
VAordeal 10 Posted February 23, 2005 Author Share Posted February 23, 2005 Anarchist, thanks for all the advice. It was very useful. Again thanks to everyone who replied to this topic. Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Bear 12 Posted February 24, 2005 Share Posted February 24, 2005 Here is one more Scout skill but it is not along the same lines of the outdoor skills that have been suggested. It is one that many don't think about until it is not used. It is a subject that doesn't appear to stand out, yet it makes each Scout special. It makes doing other skills and duties go smoothly and is the basis to keeping harmony. I could go on about it but if you decide teach it, don't make it a classroom assignment and don't teach it in front of the class. Ask the Den Leader to check to find if you are being effective by listening to the Scouts as they learn from your communications. Teach the skill incidentally or as you do other things over a period of , say six weeks. It is a life long skill that can be used outside of Scouting and in the home. If you haven't already guessed, it is teaching the Scouts about manners or being polite. FB Link to post Share on other sites
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