The Bloggers
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When we think about a patrol leader's council we form a picture of Scouts sitting around a table talking and making plans but what's really going on? The Senior patrol leader is in charge, the patrol leaders are assembled , the scribe is ready, the Scoutmaster is on hand to advise… what happens next?
In this podcast a discussion with Scouter Dean and Alex Dean of Scouts Canada and answers to emails about standards and planning. The Scouting Party by David Scott Visit our sponsor Conohocreek.com Check out Scoutcircle.org - our latest program was a great success and is available for viewing now.
Join us on Sunday, February 10 9-10PM EST for our next ScoutCircle Join us at ScoutCircle.org We are pleased to welcome author David Scott for a discussion of his book ‘The Scouting Party' to our February ScoutCircle. February marks the anniversary of the founding of the Scouting movement.
A simple camp seat made from a piece of closed cell foam will provide a bit more comfort around camp, you can recycle an old foam sleeping pad or buy a new one to share with two friends. Either way you'll have a cheap, lightweight camp seat, a dry place to stand when you change…
Frank Maynard has written brilliantly about the idea of ‘helicoptering' Scouters : Are you a helicopter Scouter? Do you think it's so important to have a well-run productive troop that you'll get in the middle of the boys' business to do it?
This statement concerning the BSA membership policy decision was released today from the Executive Board ( Link ): For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, providing it's youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
The icicle hitch is an interesting knot because it won't slip on a smooth and/or tapered surface (like an icicle). When tied and arranged carefully the icicle hitch is surprisingly slip-free when pulled parallel to the stave or pole or icicle it is tied on.
In this podcast we discuss competition and answer an email about merit badge days and Eagle required merit badges. The Scouting Party by David Scott Visit our sponsor Conohocreek.com Check out Scoutcircle.org - the first program was a great success and is available for viewing now.
The National Outdoor Challenge Award is established to recognize and encourage outdoor activities: National Outdoor Challenge Award The National Outdoor Challenge recognizes troops that maintain or increase the amount of outdoor activity when compared to the previous year. With the release of this award, the National Camping Award has been discontinued.
A new edition of Boy Scout Requirements was released in mid January, 2013. Paul Wolf at the US Scouting Service Project Inc. has published his annual review of Boy Scout requirement changes, a tremendous resource and a great service to us all, thank you Paul!
For some reason this amazingly useful knot has been forgotten. Like many knots, it is stronger than a square knot, but it is unique in that it can always be untied easily, even after it has been loaded heavily. In other words, it will not "jam".
Are BSA membership policies about to change? No doubt you've heard about or read the following statement from the Boy Scouts of America : Monday, Jan. 28, 2013 Attributable to: Deron Smith, Director of Public Relations "For more than 100 years, Scouting's focus has been on working together to deliver the nation's foremost youth program of…
In this podcast we discuss reading requirements for advancement and answer an email that got us thinking about what the Scout law says about being a friend to every Scout. The Scouting Party by David Scott Visit our sponsor Conohocreek.com Check out Scoutcircle.org - the first program was a great success and is available for viewing…
Here's a selection of some pretty bold (!) neckerchiefs from Scouts UK . When we were in Switzerland I got a good look at, and swapped for some, pretty colorful neckerchiefs. Before you ask the Facebook neckerchief on eBay, and no I do not have the slightest idea about how to find one.
We've made leadership about changing the world, but there is no ‘world' there's six billion people's understanding of it. If you change one person's understanding of it, their understanding of what they are capable of, of how much people care about them of how powerful an agent for change they can be you have changed…
The merit badge blue card serves many purposes: Certifying the unit leader has helped the Scout locate an approved counselor. Tracking requirements completed Checking that the badge was recorded and presented Serving as a record for the Scout, counselor and unit that the badge has been earned Here's a basic look at the process of…
Convert a 7-day vitamin/medication container into a spice kit – what a great idea! The'Handy Hausfrau takes the idea a bit farther with custom labels, I think I may skip that step and use a sharpie marker instead. Read the full article here Portable Spice Kit for Camping
In this podcast we discuss a Webelos troop visit and keeping older Scouts engaged, we answer email questions about the patrol method, replacing a Scout handbook and who signs merit badge cards – all this and your messages in the mailbag.
The old merit badge blue card; The new merit badge blue card; This announcement from the latest Advancement News is self explanatory: Merit Badge Blue Card Revised A new version of the "Application for Merit Badge," No. 34124, commonly referred to as the "blue card," is being released later in January 2013.
There are times that what I assume or the way I feel Scout requirements are fulfilled does not jibe with the actual wording of the requirement. I don't sign off many requirements. Requirements for ranks up to First Class are almost exclusively signed off by our older Scouts.
Karen and John Krejcha head up Autism Empowerment and Autism and Scouting to promote Acceptance, Enrichment, Inspiration and Empowerment within the Autism and Asperger communities. They serve all ages and all abilities and seek to improve and enhance the lives of individuals and families impacted by autism.
Just last night we hosted a Webelos troop visit. While the visiting Webelos went off with the Scouts we asked the parents to come with us into another room and meet with the troop's adult volunteers. The committee chairman talked to them for a bit about the basic functions and administrative things involved with having…
In this podcast we have our first Scoutmaster Panel Discussion of the new year; our guest is a new Scoutmaster with several questions for the panel on the troop's program and the patrol leader's council. Visit our sponsor Conohocreek.com Check out Scoutcircle.org - the first program was a great success and is available for viewing now.
Bill Fleming at Conoho Creek outfitters has put together a bundle of basic outdoor gear bundle that's been chosen carefully to outfit a new Scout. This is a great idea but Bill takes it a step further by offering to personalize the bundle for your climate and particular needs, what you get is a personal…
Jazz saxophonist Stan Getz took a teaching position at Stanford in 1986. In an interview with a reporter about his role there, he put it this way: I'm a strong opponent of imitation. I always tell them that they have to be themselves.
Keeping older Scouts active and involved is a perennial concern. Scoutmasters wring their hands over losing older Scouts and many troops do have a problem keeping them around. The standard response is amping up the ‘wow' factor of the program but I have never been very fond of the "bread and circuses" approach to Scouting.
The first post in this series about the patrol method paints a picture of the patrol as the central unit of Scouting, next we discussed the adult role followed by discussing the usual objections that arise when we put the patrol method into practice.
Our first post in this series establishes the patrol method as the character school of Scouting, that real self-government makes the Scout Oath and law more relevant than a bunch of concepts preached by adults. That Scouts find meaning in the life of the patrol and troop where individual responsibilities become group responsibilities.
In this podcast I speak with Alren Ward, my co-conspirator at Scoutcircle.org and Bill Fleming, fellow Scouter and owner of Conohocreek.org, our new (and first!) sponsor. We'll discuss objective and subjective decision making in Scoutmastership in seven minutes or less.
Imagine a bus tour of some important city where, seated in the air-conditioned comfort of a motor coach, we listen to the guide explain each landmark in detail so we won't miss anything. The guide sticks to the script, we sit behind the tinted windows of our bus dutifully turning our heads to the left…
The patrol system is not one method in which Scouting for boys can be carried on. It is the only method . It is not the slightest use to preach the Scout Law or to give it out as orders to a crowd of boys: each mind requires its special exposition of them and the ambition…
Take this sky tour infographic with you and the next time you are out camping take a few minutes to conduct a tour of the circumpolar constellations. You'll be able to show your Scouts two methods of finding the north star and how to identify the constellations along with some astronomy facts and folklore.
My special, heartfelt, thanks to all of you who have joined in listening and reading over the past year! In this podcast I'll replay excerpts from some of this year's interviews. Lenore Skenazy – Scout mom and author of Free Range Kids Andrew Skurka – long distance backpacker and author of The Ultimate Hiking Gear Guide .
This infographic shows the tarp knots I use. Rigging a tarp or dining fly provides shelter from the wind and rain and shade from the sun. I often use a tarp rather than a tent because there's plenty of room to spread out and they can be rigged in many different configurations.
From an article by columnist David Brooks , read the full article at The Heart Grows Smarter In 1938, a group of researchers began an intensive study of 268 students at Harvard University. The plan was to track them through their entire lives, measuring, testing and interviewing them every few years to see how lives develop.
Authoritative leadership is marked by high expectations and active responses. Parenting styles and adult leadership styles have a lot in common. Authoritative is not authoritarian; in this context they are polar opposites. Balanced responsiveness is a key factor to being a good authoritative leader, authoritative leaders listen more than they talk and readily reason with…
In this edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast: Scoutmaster Panel discussion with Larry Geiger, Tom Gillard and Walter Underwood about discipline and punishment in Scouting, we also touch on Scouts using electronic devices during meetings and activities. Past editions of the show are available at the PODCAST ARCHIVE Scoutmaster Podcast 151 – Panel Discussion
Scoutmaster Mike Lodes writes the blog An Hour a Week…. left over after Scouting . Here's a recent post that got me laughing - So, I agreed a little while back to be the Chartered Org Rep for our Church's Cub Scout Pack.
I was never a Scout as a boy but I had a copy of the patrol Leaders handbook illustrated with line drawings of perfect campsites and campfires, of Scouts in perfectly neat uniforms lining up eagerly to listen to their patrol leader, cheering heartily, rallying around the patrol flag waving their hats.
The BSA chemical fuels policy is a good common-sense approach to the safe use of any gear using chemical fuels. Here it is in it's entirety: Purpose This policy directs Boy Scouts of America members how to safely store, handle, and use chemical fuels and equipment.
If you haven't discovered the Wirecutter blog check it out, they have excellent in-depth reviews of all kinds of interesting stuff. Here's what their review of the best hand warmers concluded: Zippo Hand Warmer Sometimes gloves aren't enough. That's when hand warmers come in.
Here's some court of honor ideas we use that you may find helpful: Some court of honor ideas can enhance the central theme (recognizing Scout advancement) and some detract from it; Ideas that Enhance: 1. Recognition of Scout achievement in Scouting and outside of Scouting (If we know about a special accomplishment or award a…
Fifth in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 Immediate recognition is a powerful incentive of the BSA's advancement program. A Scout should receive his new badge as soon as possible after his achievement has been certified by a board of…
In this edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast: Talking to our Scouts about tragic events. Fifth and final installment in our series about the steps of Scout advancement ‘A Scout Is Recognized . We discuss immediate recognition and courts of honor. Answer to an email questions about starting a new troop and Scout spirit.
I am passing this on as a positive action you and your Scouts can take in response to the Sandy Hook tragedy: Colin is a paramedic in Calfornia, here's his suggestion on how we can express our support for the local first responders - That is the kind of thing you hope you never see because…
Talking with Scouts about tragic events is one way we can help relieve some of the anxiety, anger and uncertainty we all feel; lend perspective, and find constructive action in response to tragedy. When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for…
Scouting with your son, being the parent of a Scout and a Scouter at the same time, can be one of the most enriching and memorable times you'll spend together. Naturally there will be some difficult times but we can avoid letting them derail the experiences for ourselves and our sons if we prepare for…
Have you ever been described as "generous to a fault'? Volunteering is a wonderful, generous way to spend our time but we all have a breaking point. If we don't have volunteer boundaries there's a pretty good chance we are headed for a crisis.
Youth leadership goes through developmental stages. As youth become more capable and adults more comfortable with these capabilities higher levels of youth leadership are possible. Can you find your troop on the ladder? Where would you like to be? What do you need to do to get there?
Fourth in a series of articles about the four steps to Scout Advancement. Articles will be published each Tuesday beginning November 20, 2012 After a Scout has completed all of the requirements for any rank he is reviewed twice; once in a Scoutmaster conference and once at a Board of review.
