For those of you that have been to Wood Badge you understand the great training, the lasting friendships, and the spirit of Scouting that comes in every Wood Badge course. You get idea that every Scout deserves a trained leader and that in Wood Badge you are participating in the Advanced Leadership Course of the Boy Scouts of America. You understand the committment that it takes in time and money to seek out the best training and then follow-up that training by spending up to a year and half working a ticket designed to make Scouting better for the youth we serve. You get all of that.
So why should a Scouter go to Wood Badge. Yes, it’s all of the stuff previously stated but it’s a lot more than that.
Why Wood Badge? Well for starters it is the best Scout leader training the BSA has. No matter at which level you serve in Scouting, Wood Badge has something for you. Whether you are the Chief Scout Executive or a Den Leader, Wood Badge will teach you how to provide a great program for our Scouts starting with why we do this thing called Scouting. The Wood Badge experience gives you insight to the World of Scouting, not just your little piece. It reinforces methods and Aims and gets all Scouters on the same sheet of music, and yep, you will be singing a lot!
Wood Badge allows you the much-needed opportunity to step back into the hiking boots of a Scout and be that Scout as he experiences Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and is introduced to Venture Scouts. You get to learn like a Scout learns and in doing so you become a better communicator and teacher. You learn to train and lead using the EDGE method. I think you will find that this method satisfies every learning style and will assist you in sharpening your leadership skills.
Wood Badge sends you back to you unit with a song in your heart, a smile on your face, and a mission to make Scouting better.
The training at Wood Badge will make you a better Scouter, a better Spouse, a better employee when you use the tools taught in the course. It gives you perspective on everything in your life and a method to work you future plans in and out of Scouting. The Wood Badge training is world-class and is used in corporate America and in organizations big and small.
So why Wood Badge? Well, for one thing, it is our direct link to Baden Powell’s training of Scouters. The methods may have been refined, the uniforms certainly are different, and Scouting has changed with the times, but the Wood Badge is the Wood Badge and our history and tradition in Scouting is brought full circle in the Wood Badge experience.
When Baden Powell held the first Scoutmaster Training at Gilwell, he organized the participants into Patrols. This is the foundation of a Boy Scout Troop and BP understood that we learn by doing and do it with our Patrol. During the Wood Badge course the instruction all leads to doing. Within the Patrol, the participants work together to become a high performance team. Once this is realized, the experience can be taken back and applied in the Scouters unit.
Wood Badge has four specific objectives and as a result of attending Wood Badge, participants will be able to:
First, View Scouting globally, as a family of interrelated, values-based programs that provide age-appropriate activities for youth.
Second. Recognize the contemporary leadership concepts utilized in corporate America and leading government organizations that are relevant to our values-based movement.
Third, Apply the skills they learn from their participation as a member of a successful working team.
And finally, Revitalize their commitment by sharing in an overall inspirational experience that helps provide Scouting with the leadership it needs to accomplish its mission on an ongoing basis.
So Why Wood Badge? Back when I became a new Scouter helping out with my oldest son’s Pack I was invited to go to Wood Badge. I did not give it too much thought, after all, I was just a Cub Scout Den Leader, why do I need more training? Then I became a Cubmaster, and again, an invitation to Wood Badge was extended. A group of Scouters that were (and still are) super active in the District kept encouraging me to go to Wood Badge. They kept telling me that this “Mountain Top” Scouting experience was something that I really needed to attend. And again, I blew it off thinking that everything was going great in the Pack and I really didn’t need more leadership training. In 2004 I became a Scoutmaster, and again the same group of Scouters encouraged me to get to Wood Badge. I went to a Wood Badge dinner in January of 2005. It was a gathering to recognize Wood Badge participants that had completed their tickets and introduce Wood Badge to prospective participants. My wife and I went and enjoyed the evening. The room was filled with the most enthusiastic Scouters I have ever seen. They were from every corner of the council and represented every level of Scouting. Toward the end of the program a Scouter stood in front of the crowd and asked if “There were any Beavers in the house?” At first I thought he was referring to the Oregon State Beavers.. but what happened next sealed the deal for me. About a dozen Scouters stood up and broke out in song, when they were finished, the whole room (well those Scouters with beads on) stood and sang. They all sat down and about another dozen different Scouters stood and sang a verse about Bobwhites.. and so it went till the whole room was singing. The staffers closed out the song and everyone began hugging and shaking hands and there was nothing but smiles and laughter in the room. I sat there with my wife with a big grin on my face. My wife looked at me and said.. “Well… go sign up.” And that night I registered for the next course.
I participated in WE1-492-1-05 and was placed in the Beaver Patrol. I did have a “Mountain Top” experience and took all I learned back to my Troop. In 2009 I was asked to be on Staff. I had to turn it down because I was over extended as not only the Scoutmaster of my Troop, but the Scoutmaster of a Troop heading to the National Jamboree. In late 2010, I was asked again to be on staff for the 2011 course and I immediately said yes. I served as a Troop guide for W1-492-11 and as I have shared with my fellow Troop guides and the mighty Buffalo Patrol, “I had a great experience when I went to Wood Badge, I fell in love with Wood Badge on staff.” Early this year I was asked again to staff a Wood Badge course. And again, I said yes.
The people who attend Wood Badge and those that staff Wood Badge are the greatest Scouters out there. Their dedication to Scouting and the youth we serve is second to none. Their committment to training and making the Scouting organization better is beyond compare.
So Why Wood Badge? Why Not?
If you have been invited to attend Wood Badge, please consider it. You will not regret it. If you are concerned about time and money. Contact your local Wood Badge staff, ask at your next roundtable, there are ways to get you into the next course. The benefits of Wood Badge outweigh the excuses not to go. You are a dedicated Scouter, I know this, because you waste you time reading my blog. SO if you have not been to Wood Badge.. GO! And you will have a great experience. I promise.
If you are a Wood Badger… What’s your Critter? Leave a comment and share your Wood Badge story.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Category Archives: Methods
SMMPodcast # 106 – Relevance
It’s time for another SMMPodcast. In this show we discuss a topic that seems to be on many Scouters minds, Is Scouting still Relevant?
Listen in as I share some of my thoughts on the issue.
This show is brought to you by Badge Magic.
Hope you like the show, leave feedback, send an email to tbirdironchef@gmail.com.
Follow me on twitter @smjerry and of course subscribe to the blog and leave your comments here.
Listen here or download.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Learning by listening
One of my favorite things to do as a Scoutmaster is sit with a Scout and have a Scoutmaster Conference. It is not only a requirement for the Scout to advance, but a great opportunity to learn.
I learn so much each time I sit down with a Scout and listen to them during the conference. Tonight I sat with two Scouts and learned more about them, the troop, and their development as Scouts. I learn when I listen to the Scout.
So here is how I do it. Keep in mind, I am like most Scouts (and leaders for that matter) in that I am a scatter brain. Back when I was a kid, it was called hyperactive.. now-a-days.. it’s grounds for medication.. but either way.. I really have to work at staying focused. So when I sit with a Scout, I need to give them 100% of my attention. So, I take their book, make sure that everything is signed and dated, sign my two boxes and then put the book away.
Then we start the conference.
The Scout then has all of my attention. I know what’s in the book, and it really doesn’t matter anyway. The Scoutmaster conference is not a retest, so we talk about what challenged him, what he learned, and what he is doing to get to the next level. Then we talk about leadership. I ask them, yes even at the Tenderfoot level, what they are doing to demonstrate leadership. This typically sparks lots of talk about where the Scout thinks he is in the spectrum of being a leader.
Using the EDGE method to teach is a Tenderfoot requirement, so I figure that he had to learn something about leadership there.
We discuss spiral learning and reinforce the skills that were learned along the way. This discussion usually leads to what the Scout is looking forward to.
We talk about School. Not because the Scout wants to, but because I want to know. We talk about girlfriends, and sports, and even how the Scout law works on a little sister. The conference is a talk that we have to learn. The Scout learns and I learn. I get to know them and they get to know a little more about me and how I see the world. They get to see how I demonstrate the Scout law in my life, and I get to learn how they are struggling to make the Law a habit in their lives.
The Scoutmaster conference is one of my favorite things as a Scoutmaster and I am lucky that I get to do them every week.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
What kind of Scoutmaster are you?
In the last post, we got a pretty good feel for the general attitude toward the “Merit Badge Mill” for a lack of a better term. It seems that there is not a lot of support for this style of merit badge earning.
Now, I did receive some emails that found that style the best practice in, as one guy put it “the world we live in”. But those comments were far less than those opposed. In all fairness… I did ‘accept’ any comment that was made on the blog. I did not respond to all of the emails, especially the one that called me “Old fashioned and not in touch with today’s Scouts”.
Which led me to thinking this week… What kind of Scoutmaster are you?
It was brought to my attention that the 1998 Scout Handbook does not make mention of Baden-Powell. I have not checked this out for myself, but if that is the case, it begs the question.. Why?
But back to the subject at hand.. What kind of Scoutmaster are you?
Baden-Powell said in “Aids to Scoutmastership” that we need not be “Know it all’s”
To be a Scoutmaster you need:
- He must have the boy spirit in him; and must be able to place himself on a right plane with his boys as a first step.
- He must realise the needs, outlooks and desires of the different ages of boy life.
- He must deal with the individual boy rather than with the mass.
- He then needs to promote a corporate spirit among his individuals to gain the best results
Now BP goes on to explain all these points in the book and I won’t just copy and paste the whole thing here.. Google search Aids to Scoutmastership and get your own copy and read it. But I will say that if you do as BP says.. you may just be a good Scoutmaster.
Scoutmasters should be a friend to the Scouts. He should remember that these are boys and not adults. We ask a lot from these young men which is all a part of the program, but at the end of the day they are boys. They have issues at home, school, sports teams, and the everyday life of a teen ager. So for the Scoutmaster that places himself on the “right plane” with the Scouts does a better job understanding them and working with them as they grow and develop.
The Scoutmaster needs to understand where the Scouts are in life. Once again, they are not men, they are boys and they all grow and develop at different rates. Some 14 year olds are more mature that others. Some 12 year olds mature faster than some 15 year olds. So it is important that the Scoutmaster works with the Scouts individually and not paint broad strokes with his Scoutmaster brush. At the same time, the Scoutmaster needs to build the team up as well as the individual. The team (Troop and Patrol) is an important part of the Scouting program and a huge part in developing young men.
On the other hand. And I know too many Scoutmasters like this, they are ‘roped’ into doing the job, they have no real desire to do the job but they do it because their son is in the troop, and they have no desire to learn the program or assist in running it right.
Now is that a subjective statement. Not so much. In the introduction to being a Scoutmaster in the Scoutmaster training program, the trainers introduce the new Scoutmasters to the 8 methods of Scouting. And with few exceptions the methods have remained the same for 102 years. Those same methods that BP himself outlined.
In both Aids to Scoutmastership and Scouting for Boys, you can find all of the methods that we currently use to achieve the Aims of Scouting.
The Patrol being the foundation for the Scout to start learning. The ideals found in the Scout Oath and Law as well as the motto and slogan take that foundation and apply it to their daily lives and the attitudes that shape the Patrol as a group. Scouting is done and should always be done in the outdoors with a Patrol. The Outdoor program is fundamental in the Scouting program. It is as BP said “our classroom”. Advancement opportunities set challenges and goals for the Scout to meet. The Advancement program tests the Scouts ability to manage his goal setting and give him a measurement of his own success. Not the success of the unit, but himself. The association with adults is a method that is often confused. Confused, because it is a method for the Scout.. not the adult. In associating with adults the Scout learns to manuever through the world. It places the Scout in a position to learn to be comfortable in job settings as well as social settings. The adults role in this method is to be a good example. Personal Growth is perhaps one of the most important methods that is often overlooked by Scoutmasters that do not take a personal care for each of the Scouts in their Troop. The Scoutmaster that does the job for a set amount of time or because no one else would take the job often look at Scouting as a camping club. Merit badges just happen at Summer camp and it really doesn’t matter if there is personal growth in the individual Scouts. I mean, after all you only have to care for them on Monday nights and one weekend a month… right? The uniform is where I see most of the lack of care for methods. Cost is always an excuse, but rarely a solution is given. The uniform has been a part of Scouting since the very beginning and should remain a method as long as Scouting exists. It is not a financial burden if the Scout believes and lives the part of the law that suggests that he is “Thrifty”. Adults create the burden by not enforcing the standard. To many parents fail to see the value in Scouting’s values and would rather take the easy way out and just say that it can’t be done. Hog Wash! And finally, when it comes to methods Leadership development. Now, I do know that I put this one last and that is not how they are listed… but here is where I see a big gap in the ways in which Scoutmastership is practiced.
Leaders are made, not born and sometimes that trial and error called learning is not pretty. The Patrol and Troop are the practice grounds for leadership development. And to be honest.. it’s real ugly sometimes.. that is when the good Scoutmaster needs to allow it to be ugly. Parents don’t like to see that.. but it is the best way for a Scout to learn. Mistakes are opportunities to learn as long as the Scoutmaster is there to teach, coach, train, and mentor the Scout. By applying “Guided Discovery” the Scout will develop into a leader. He may not be the next Patton or [insert your favorite leader here], but the lessons he learns while discovering his leadership potential will serve him later in life.
In short.. What kind of Scoutmaster are you? Are you one that embraces the lessons taught us by Baden-Powell or do we throw it all out the window for “modern thinking” and convenience. “Old fashioned and not in touch with today’s Scout”. I don’t know about you, but can you disagree with the Values of Scouting? How about the methods? These are time-tested and work well when applied by caring Scoutmasters.
If that makes me old-fashioned… so be it.. but if you do as BP suggests.. you can never be out of touch with today’s Scout. They are the same as they always have been… they are boys looking for adventure.
I am curious to hear what you have to say about this. What kind of Scoutmaster are you?
“What the Scoutmaster does, his boys will do. The Scoutmaster is reflected in his scouts. From the self-sacrifice and patriotism of their Scoutmaster, Scouts inherit the practice of voluntary self-sacrifice and patriotic service.” – BP in Aids to Scoutmastership
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Merit Badge mania
I have always been a Scoutmaster that encourages advancement and using all of the methods of Scouting. I have always put a priority on the Scouts having fun, seeking new adventures and in the process, rank, merit badges, and other goodies will happen. And for the better part of 8 years, this has seemed to be the status quo of our troop. Good participation at camp outs, doing lots of cool activities and in the process, Scouts earned merit badges and rank. UNTIL NOW.
For some reason, some of which I don’t have a problem with the Council has decided that merit badges should fall in the hands of committees and project teams. In an effort to gain and maintain relationships with big corporations and learning centers in the Portland metro area a premium has been placed on merit badge days and work shops.
Rather than do it the old-fashioned way where as a Scout develops an interest in a subject or understands that he needs the merit badge for advancement, comes to his unit leader and asks for a blue card and the number to the nearest counselor and then he begins work on the badge. Upon completion, the Scout(or the counselor) returns the blue card and the Scout is presented with the badge. The Council has now provided opportunities for a Scout to just sign up on-line for a badge, show up for a day and complete the badge, many times without the parent unit knowing he has plans to work on it. This bugs me a bit.
The other thing that bugs me about this program is that racking up merit badges seems to have taken front seat to other Scouting programs within the unit. Scouts will sign up and pay online to go to a merit badge hand out rather than participate in a troop activity. I think this is wrong.
Like I said, the traditional way of working and earning merit badges has worked just fine for the better part of 8 years. Scouts have shown interest and they have earned the badges without placing too much emphasis on them other than for advancement.
Until Now. It seems that the latest batch of Scouts (Parents) seem to think that merit badges are the end all be all. They are cranking out merit badges at a pace that will land them all in Boy’s Life for setting merit badge records. I don’t know where this comes from and I don’t know exactly when the switch was flicked. What I do know is that I think it is sending the wrong message to the Scout. I think the parents should remove themselves from the merit badge game and allow their son to have fun in Scouting and earn them the right way.
I upset some parents (new parents) last month when I gave the Summer camp speech and told the Scouts to not worry about merit badge but to make sure they had fun at summer camp. Some of the Scouts listened and did have a great time at camp, while others wasted no time in earning merit badges for the sake of earning merit badges. A quick look at the list of merit badges earned at summer camp tell the story, no Eagle required badges earned (they take all week), but many “filler badges were worked and earned.
So our Tenderfoot Scouts will soon have loaded merit badge sashes and no cool stories, no great memories, and will still not be any closer to the next rank. But their parents will be happy that they get to see Tommy Tenderfoot at the Court of Honor get lots of stuff.
What I am afraid of is the council creating a “participation ribbon” environment. Where everyone is a winner and no one has to work hard for what they get. A patch for the patches sake is far less worth having than one earned.
Not every Scout will be an Eagle Scout and not every Eagle Scout earned all 250 or so merit badges.
I asked the Scouts the other night how important the merit badges were to them. My little poll did not tell the story that the amount of merit badges would suggest. Nor the fact that they are all rushing to work merit badges at the Council sponsored events. Which could only lead me to one conclusion. The parents need to get their own sashes.
Merit badges will come when the time and interest is right. They should never take priority over Troop events, and the Council should stay out of it.
My 2 cents, you know I am interested in hearing yours.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Potential
The other night at our weekly Troop meeting we did something really out of the ordinary. The Scouts did their thing.. that was normal.. but we held a parent meeting and then Parent break outs for the Scouts going to Philmont, and the Scouts going to Summer Camp. Out of the ordinary in that we dedicated the entire evening to the Parents.
I feel that we do a pretty good job communicating, but with the move to the new church (meeting place) and the high pay off events just around the corner, it was a great time to get all the parents in one room together and talk about some of the issues that are currently being addressed by the Troop.
I did most of the talking.. duh… but I thought it was important for me to personally communicate certain topics to the parents.
Some of the things I talked about was the fact that all of a sudden the Scouts are getting a bit “relaxed” in their uniforming. Many of the younger Scouts are deciding for themselves that the uniform is not important while the Troop does feel it is important. The PLC addressed this issue a month ago and was having a hard time getting some Scouts motivated to comply with the Troop uniform policy (as outlined by the PLC). So I explained why the uniform was important to our team to the parents and asked for their help in getting little Tommy Tenderfoot to wear his uniform.
We also talked about bang for your Scouting buck.. simply put the dues are not pro rated based on your attendance.. so you should attend everything and get the most out of your Scouting dollar.
Now, I know that asking to be at everything is unrealistic, but in recent months we have seen a drop in our attendance for camp outs. Some of the younger Scouts have had ‘other plans’ on some of the fun camp out weekends and then I hear them complain that the guys that went on the camp out got lots of stuff signed off in their books, while they did not.
The point to the parents was this; if you participate you will get a lot out of Scouting. If you Scout ala cart.. you don’t get the full meal. You get out of Scouting exactly what you put into it.
I was challenged by a parent saying I should do a better job encouraging the boys to go. And I do.. but I won’t beg a Scout and I certainly won’t beg a parent. They all have a calendar, they all know when we meet, they all know a year in advance when the camp outs are. Part of Scouting’s lesson is self-reliance. If Scouting is not that important to the Scout and/or their family, well then they simply will miss out. I have said it many times. I want them all to attend.. but at the end of the day, I would rather have 15 Scouts that are motivated and having fun then 45 that I have to drag along fighting their attitude. Is that to say that I give up on them.. certainly not.. But once again, I asked the parents to be excited about Scouting and encourage their boy to hit the trail with us instead of staying home.
So I will continue to encourage.. but not beg.|
This subject of participation led to me telling the parents that our Scouts have a ton of potential. Some of the older Scouts have expressed that I have been “riding them”. And yes, I suppose that is true, but then again, I guess it depends on how you define “Riding”. You see, I see lots of potential in these Scouts, in particular the current leaders of the Troop. Yep, I said potential… not performance. They have the necessary skills, tools, and knowledge. What they lack is want to.
So when they say I am riding them what it really means is that expect a lot out of them and will not settle for them being lazy, I will not settle for them to not do their job, and I will not settle for them to set this example to the younger Scouts.
Now it should be clear. I never belittle them, I never yell at them, I never make them feel like they are failing. I just stay on them and expect them to perform their position of responsibility.
Does it get old for them? Sure does. Do they do well when pushed? Sure do. So I define “riding” this way…
I am extracting performance from their potential.
Once they start performing it becomes a habit and then they are moving the troop along with a full head of steam.
They get it. They just need a gentle push from time to time.
I felt the need to communicate this stuff to our parents. They have a big influence on the participation level, the attitude level, and the support that we as Scout leaders get from the Scouts and Scouting families.
Coming out of the meeting I felt that the parents were once again on our team. They were encouraged with our program, and they all gave me a great feeling of support.
I closed by expressing my love for Scouting and the Scouts in our Troop. They will all be developed, protected, and loved in our Troop.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Prepared. For Life
As everyone that reads this blog knows, the BSA’s new(er) slogan is as the title reads… “Prepared. For Life”. I have often stayed away from advertising gimmicks and jingles.. “An Army of One”, and “Be all that you can Be” come to mind. But this one hit home as I thought about how Scouting does impact our lives. Yesterday was my first day back from vacation and so I spent a little time catching up on emails, reading my favorite blogs, and cleaning camping gear. My good buddy Adam posted a piece about his vacation last week. It is a great article and illustrated just how Scouting is Preparing us for life.
I was and I suppose still am reluctant to tell this story in light of Adams blog post, but once again I find myself in need of sharing this wonderful thing called Scouting.
Last week we spent at Glacier National Park. If you have never been.. GO! It is truly an amazing place. So as you can imagine when I go camping I go prepared. We are ready to sustain for a week in comfort and have a good time out in the woods. This time was no exception. Since it was family time, I went a lot heavier than I am used to, the big cabin tent, the big stove, the coolers etc. But I still had my day pack which had my 10 essentials in it and since we were in Glacier NP, a canister of Bear spray.
One afternoon as we sat in camp, a scream came from the road in front of our camp site. The boys were throwing a football around and one fell. HE ran straight into our site crying. Why our site and not to his parents.. I don’t know. Maybe instinct told him that I had just completed the Wilderness First Aid course, or that I was a Scoutmaster, or he had no idea where he was.. either way.. here he ran into our site bleeding from the hand.
I had him sit down and told him to look me in the eyes. Josh, my youngest son, had already got to my day pack and retrieved the first aid kit. I told this youngster to relax and that he was going to be fine. His alligator tears started to dry and I just kept talking to him. Found out that in three days he would be turning 9 years old and that he was from Canada.
All the while I gloved up and started treating his cut. He had fallen on his hand and took a good layer or two of skin off his palm. Cleaning the area and bandaging with non stick pads I was done with the bleeding part. Then I started looking for possible fracture. He asked why I was poking and pressing on his wrist and hand.. I told him I wanted to make sure he was ok. He was. Right about that time, his dad came into our camp. He said he had heard the scream and started heading in this direction. I told what I had done and that I think everything is going to be ok, keep it clean and if he needed I would change the dressing the next day.
He saw the Scouting stickers on the back of my truck and made a comment about them stating that his son had run to the right place. “Who else would be ready to anything”, he said referring to the stickers.
So all of this got me to thinking about just how we Prepare our Scouts for life.
It’s not just first aid and camping skills, but as the mission statement states, Making ethical choice throughout their lives.
I often talk in this blog about character and making choices. Being fit and healthy, being of service to others, and of course skills that will help them get through life.
Scouting is a great platform for this learning, discovery, and practice of the life skills that these young men will need as they go through it. Being Prepared for as Baden Powell said.. Anything.
So it’s not just about camping and fun. It truly is a game with a purpose and all of us should remember what that purpose it. This new(er) slogan.. Prepared. For Life. Is the Boy Scouts of America mission statement in three words. It is our call to action as Scouters. It is what we are here for.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Methods – Uniform
“Putting on the uniform does not make a fellow a Scout, but putting on the uniform is a sign to the world that one has taken the Scout obligation and folk expect Scout like acts from one wearing it” – Handbook for Boys 1927
And last… but certainly not least.. The Uniform.
I have a strong opinion on this one and I am going to let it be known. While the uniform is the final method on the list, it is not the least among the methods that should be practiced. The uniform is an important part of Scouting and should be promoted with zeal and excuses for non uniformity removed.
Uniforms seem to be argued over, dismissed, and modified more than any other method. People argue the expense is overwhelming, they argue that the Scouts do not like to wear them, they argue that the uniform is impractical, and they argue over the pocket on the sleeve. STOP IT!
The Uniform has been a method of Scouting since the beginning. A quick study of Scouting’s history will show that the uniform has always been deemed important.
The Boy Scouts of America state that “The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals. The uniform is practical attire for Scout activities, and provides a way for Scouts to wear the badges that show what they have accomplished.”
Ok, so what’s the beef? The price? The style? The geeky nature of wearing a uniform?
Lets remove crutches. Price, yeah, its a bit spendy, but there are many options. First. Earn it! Sell popcorn, mow lawns, get off your butt and earn it. It’s not that spendy. Second. “Experienced uniforms” are always great. Units should maintain ‘uniform banks’ or ‘lockers’ for Scouts that need assistants with uniforming. Third. The Scout uniform is the Scout uniform. As long as worn properly, any of the styles will do.
Style. It is what it is. I like the Scout uniform now. When I was a Scout it was green and did not have a collar, I hated the beret, and I thought the green pants looked real dorky.. and looking back at pictures of me then.. it was a dorky looking uniform. But we wore it.
The tan shirt wears well and looks good with the green pants. I like the move to the green tabs and I really like the more “active styles” in the pants. Starting with the Switchbacks and moving into the newer pant styles, they are more practical and wear well in the outdoors.
Geeky. Only if you think so.
Here is my opinion. EVERY ADULT SCOUTER SHOULD ALWAYS WEAR THE FULL UNIFORM. You set the example and the attitude for proper uniforming. NO EXCUSE. You can send me a note about price and practicality.. and I will argue with you if you would like. If you want a fully uniformed unit.. and there is only one way to actually wear the uniform.. then you should set the example.
In our Troop we require every leader, youth and adult, to wear the full uniform. That is a rule set by the PLC, not me… now in all fairness I concur and they know it.
When a Scout crosses over from Webelos he has a tan shirt. We ask the parents to buy him pants. That simple. If they can not afford it, we encourage them to assist with fund-raising and we introduce them to the uniform bank. We want every Scout to feel like they are part of the team. And that is exactly how we and the BSA look at this method. Teams wear uniforms. You don’t see a football team arrive for a game with some blue shirts on and some red. Some guys have helmets and others are wearing ball caps. The uniform identifies each player as being part of the team, even the guys on the bench wear the uniform. So it is with Scouts. Each Scout is part of the team. He shows his team colors and numbers and pride in his patrol and troop.
The uniform is a great equalizer. It makes everyone the same. Old or new, it is still the teams uniform and everyone on the team is equal.
I think the uniform method is important. It brings us together in the brotherhood of Scouting and marks us as a force for good.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Methods- Leadership Development
Besides backpacking and teaching skills for the outdoors, my favorite subject in Scouting is leadership. I know that leadership is but a small part of Scouting, but leadership when done correctly requires the leader to be of good character. Leadership asks of the Scout to develop good citizenship, and of course being a good leader encourages a Scout to be physically fit.
Leadership is tested in Scouting. It is a requirement for rank, a Scout must demonstrate his ability to lead others culminating with the Eagle project. To be an effective leader, the Scout must first learn to be a follower. Leadership starts early in a Scouts life with following. The implication is that the Scouts needs to see other Scouts leading. This is where leadership develop starts to take root.
Scouts that develop strong leadership habits and skills work wonders in a Scout led Troop. They show what “right looks like” and are examples for others to follow.
Leadership does not require a patch. Every Scout can start leading. Being a great example is the best leadership tool. Every Scout will have an opportunity to develop leadership through active participation in shared and total leadership situations.
Through the leadership development method a Scout see’s how leaders effect the over all good. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership roles of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting. This is why leadership development is important. It takes time and energy to become a leader. Leaders are not born, they are made and Scouting helps get them moving as an effective leader. He will have skills and tools that will continue to be practiced and tested throughout his life.
Units should provide opportunities to develop Junior leaders. Troop Junior Leader training, sending Scouts to the National Youth Leadership Training, the Eagle Scout service project, The Order of the Arrow, and various High Adventure base opportunities give the Scout a wide variety of leadership training. Along with holding positions of leadership in the unit the Scout can find many ways to develop his skill sets and leadership tool box. Aside from holding unit positions of leadership staffing at Summer camp is one of the greatest experiences that a Scout can have to demonstrate and practice leadership. Unit leaders should encourage Scouts to take advantage of all of the leadership opportunities that Scouting has to offer.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Methods- Personal Growth
Now don’t let the word personal get you. Yes we want each and every Scout to grow, but we want them to find this growth within the context of Scouting’s values (found in the Oath and Law). Personal growth is a tricky method in that it will sneak up on you as the Scout develops. Each Scout will grow at his own pace and so we use tools and watch and guide his growth. First and foremost, his family. Stay in touch with his family, develop friendship and a relationship with the family. They should be able to seek your input and you should be able to offer your suggestions also. You see the Scout outside of the family context on camp outs and other events. When you see a behavior change, talk with the young man or ask the family if they are seeing something different. This is the tricky part. If you are not comfortable getting into their lives, well then, you can’t assist with this.
I recently got a call from one of my Scouts Dad’s. He was concerned about a change in behavior and wanted to know if I saw it. We ended up talking for about an hour about different parts of this young man’s life. It was a great opportunity for me to share some of the things that I see and he was even open to hearing what I thought on the matter.
The second tool we use is the Scoutmaster conference. I have said this before, but it is always worth saying again… the Scoutmaster conference is not all about rank advancement. You, Mister Scoutmaster are a mentor, a role model, a friend, use the Scoutmaster conference to get to know these young men and what makes them tick. You can assist in the personal growth of each and every Scout by talking and listening. When they know you care and want to listen, they will talk to you. Sometimes, you are a better set of ears than their parents or teachers. You are the guy that goes camping with them, plays games, and teaches them skills. They trust you. Don’t take advantage of this, but keep in mind that if you want these young men to grow into good men, you need to take an interest in their lives [outside of Scouting also].
And finally, the last tool set we will discuss are the various programs in Scouting. The religious emblems program, doing a good turn, and being helpful at all times. These programs/values will shape the young man and develop good habits in him that will last. You will see growth in the character of the Scout as he serves others and learns about his spiritual world. But there probably is no device so successful in developing a basis for personal growth as the daily Good Turn.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
