Information, Observation, and Inspiration for Scouters
“In the stake bucket, on the trailer.”
What’s wrong with this transaction?
Here’s a clue. A Scout, most likely a new recruit, setting up his tent with his bunk partner, asks an adult where the tent stakes are. Because a Scout is helpful, the adult answers that they are in a bucket on board the troop trailer and sends the Scout on his way. Continue reading ““Where are the tent stakes?””
Taking a break from answering readers’ questions, a recent Ask Andy column, Troop Spotting instead gives advice to parents of Arrow of Light Scouts who are shopping for a troop. Much of the advice is stuff we know about: uniforming, youth leadership, the adult role. It’s thoughtful, comprehensive, and gives soon-to-be Boy Scouts and their parents some great information when looking for a troop.
Besides being useful to boys about to cross over, it’s also a great checklist to size up our own troop. Continue reading “Look at yourself!”
One of the hallmarks of Scouting that sets it apart from other youth activities is its emphasis on youth leadership. Boys form their own patrols and hold elections, govern themselves within the framework of Scouting, decide and plan their own activities, and are generally supposed to be running the show, with adults in the background.
Of course, there are very few boys who are completely capable  of doing all this in a vacuum, let alone an entire troop’s worth. Scouting has always had adult supervision to coach and mentor the youth leaders, all the way from Baden-Powell’s vision, through “Green Bar” Bill Hillcourt’s patrol method resources, to today’s youth leadership training. Continue reading “Who’s steering the ship?”
Training boy leaders is the Scoutmaster’s most important job, and that process has now been revised and updated in BSA’s new publication Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops.
ILST, as it’s known in the acronym-crazy world of Scouting, succeeds Troop Leadership Training after only a few years in use, and improves on it in a number of ways. TLT, as you recall, took us away from the step-by-step training course that was provided to us in Junior Leader Training. Continue reading “Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops”
I’m about to date myself. Seriously date myself.
One of my fondest childhood memories was sitting down in front of the Zenith black & white television set in the living room with a glass of milk and a cookie and watching The Mickey Mouse Club. When the theme song would come on, I’d jump up out of my little chair and march around in a circle, just like Mickey Mouse did, and sing along “Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me?” I can still see Jiminy Cricket dealing out the cards that spelled M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E, and Donald Duck trying to steal the limelight. Continue reading “Who’s the leader of the club?”