SM discouraging Summer Camp Merit Badges

[goodkidsmom]

SM's policy is that boys may not do required badges at camp. The rationale is that there isn't enough time to do them well so the boys wouldn't learn as much.

This criticism may be correct, but a) the MB programs/counselors are presumably approved by the council and b) shouldn't it be the boys' choice what badges to do? What do you think?

[madkins007]

As long as the boys have the opportunity to do other good stuff, like learn new skills- I say ATTABOY MR SM!

 

From what I have seen, summer camp is a HORRIBLE place for a lot of the merit badges. The counsellors are usually teen-age boys who may or may not have a love for the subject. The available resources for teaching some of the badges are sorely lacking. Often, Scouts get checkoffs for attendence more than actual participation. There really isn't enough time to do the traditional 'learn, do, review' approach required for most badges.

 

Most boys come home with a long list of 'partials'- often the parts that require the real work. As a MB counsellor and ex-SM, I'da just as soon see the Scouts tackle the badge in a more organized, self-motivated way under the guidance of a single counsellor. At least then I know that they really LEARNED something.

 

Please understand that I think camp is the PERFECT place for some of the badges- good teachers, great location- the perfect blend of time and place. It is just so dang frustrating to see MBs become the focus of the camp.

[evmori]

The summer camp my Troop attends only offers a few required MB's. We have never restricted the Scouts from earning them. As a matter of fact, most of the Scouts in our Troop have earned Swimming & Environmental Science at summer camp. I really don't see the point for restricting what MB's a Scout can work on at summer camp.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[SemperParatus]

A scout should have the opportunity to pursue a merit badge with any registered counselor in any legitimate setting, including summer camp. While I am not a big fan of summercamp merit badges, I would not stand in the way of a scout's desire to earn a badge.

[purcelce]

Sounds like your SM has good intention, but going about it the wrong way.

 

I would leave it up to the boys to deside what they want to take for merit badges. Summer Camp should be for fun, not a merit badge college.

 

 

[Hunt]

I see a big difference between "discourage" and "prohibit." I may hear myself saying, in the next couple of days, something like the following: "Are you sure you want to do Communications at camp? Wouldn't it be more fun to do something outdoors, like Swimming or Canoeing? After all, there are several Communications with the troop who would be happy to work with you during the school year. If you want my opinion, you should do MBs at camp that aren't as easy to do other times."

I also think that it would be fair to recount prior experiences, i.e., that the MB is difficult to complete at camp, or that the facilities to do it aren't that great, etc. But I agree that if the boy really wants to do it, and the counselor is approved, then he shouldn't be prohibited.

[Eagledad]

We never stand in the way of a scout's ambitions and goals, in fact we admire those qualities. But at the same time, we also point out that camp is suppose to be a fun experience. We usually have several scouts go again their forth and fifth year.

 

Have a great Scouting Day.

 

Barry

[EagleInKY]

We "strongly discourage" certain MBs at Summer Camp. Things like the Citizenships & Communications for example. Why? Because they can't be covered in their totality in a camp setting. Plus, we'd rather see them do things they can't easily do at home or in school (canoeing, fishing, sailing, etc.)

 

Now, does "strongly discourage" equal "prohibit"? No, but it's close. If a parent throws a huge fuss and wants to go against the recommendations of the trained and experienced adult leadership of the troop, then they can. We haven't had anyone do that yet.

[Lynda J]

I would have a big problem with a SM telling a boy that he could not do a certain merit badge at summer camp or at a merit badge workshop. It is the boys decission which badge to work on. Our camp offers Swimming, Emergency Preparedness. Environmental Science, Hiking, Lifesaving, First Aid as required badges. Then several of the nature based ones as non required. But to refuse to allow a boy to work on one of the required badges is simply wrong.

 

[Eamonn]

I'm with Eagledad and SemperParatus.

The problem of having Scouts doing Citizenship and that sort of MB at camp is not the Scouts. It's the Camp.

I was really surprised one year when I found out that our camp was offering Family Life.

While I might not be happy with what the camp is offering telling or discouraging a Lad would be like taking him to an ice cream store and not allowing him to have a ice cream!!

Eamonn.

 

 

[Spiney Norman]

In our troop we don't 'prohibit' any merit badge. Thankfully, the camp we attend has a good outdoor oriented MB program. As a leader I don't think I could let a scout waste a week of his time sitting around working on essays and bookwork. It seems like a waste of a good opportunity to enjoy the best part of scouting.

[jr56]

As a scoutmaster I would often offer suggestions as to whether or not a boy should take a particular merit badge, and why. But the final decision was his.

[SR540Beaver]

I think a lot of it depends on the camp and individual counselors. Last year, we had a number of boys take the Fly Fishing MB at summer camp. About mid-week we found out that they were not learning anything. In fact, the counselor (a teen age boy) was playing cards with the kids during class. He'd simply tell the boys where the fishing poles were if they wanted to fish and leave it at that. We complained to the camp director who nipped the problem in the bud. I'm not sure where they buried the body. However, when we got the requirement listing on the boys, it showed they had done everything except catch a fish. Our SM told the boys that the counselor had signed off on the requirements and there was nothing he could do about it. He asked them if they honestly felt they had earned the sign offs on the requirements. Each and everyone of them said no, took their sheet from the SM and ripped it in half. He didn't put a guilt trip on them and was willing to accept their decision. They showed a lot of maturity to do the right thing.

 

We are not returning to that camp this year. We'll see what the new camp has in store for us.

[KoreaScouter]

Our council camp doesn't offer the citizenship badges, or communications, at summer camp. They offer the outdoor-oriented badges, and those that are difficult to do as part of the troop program (rifle, for example). By and large, they do a great job at it. It's a two-way street too. Our council staff asks on-island units to adopt a campsite at our council camp, and do maintenance and improvement work out there throughout the year -- we have, and we do. They also expect leaders to attend orientation sessions and training classes on new program features -- we have, and we're scheduled to attend COPE high elements instructor training later this month, so we can help run the course. Scouts from my unit are on staff each summer, too, counseling MBs among other things. There's more, but you get the picture.

 

I'd be very reluctant to criticize the council's camping program unless I was doing everything I could as a leader, an Arrowman, and a Wood Badger, to help make it better...

 

KS

[SR540Beaver]

KS: I'd be very reluctant to criticize the council's camping program unless I was doing everything I could as a leader, an Arrowman, and a Wood Badger, to help make it better...

 

Ouch!