The Bloggers
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February 22nd marks the birthday of Lord Robert Baden-Powell the founder of the Scout Movement and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) Founder's Day . . Nearly all National Scout Associations throughout the world celebrate Founder's Day as an opportunity to learn more about B.P.'s life and his work.
I've used a good many analogies in an attempt to express what the simple yet subtle ideas at the heart of Scouting. My hope is that readers find an analogy that makes sense of an otherwise tricky idea. But be warned that while analogies lend definition to abstract concepts but even the best break down…
This email came from a listener/reader. I answered it in Podcast number 4 as well as in this post; Hi Clarke- I really enjoy your thoughtful blogs and podcasts, and I'm interested to learn about your views on merit badge days.
I came across PatchDisplay.com on Facebook. It is "owned and operated in historic Chester County , Pennsylvania by individuals involved as both parents and leaders with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for over fifteen years." They construct custom displays (you provide the patches, etc) to commemorate a Scout's accomplishments.
Scoutmaster Podcast 4 Featuring; Merit Badge Quality, Bevis & Butthead, 4th in the series Instructional Methods for Scouts, Scoutmaster Minute; A Scout is Trustworthy. Most of you know that us blogging podcasters or podcasting bloggers (your choice) thrive on conversation with our readers and/or listeners.
Why would anyone need a "Life to Eagle Guide"? We already have a Scout Handbook and an Eagle Project Workbook - any Scout can understand and work their way through the trail to Eagle with these resources alone. Yet every Council and District seems to have 'resources' that are often confusing and often contain information that…
Scoutmaster Podcast 1 Scoutmaster Podcast 2 Scoutmaster Podcast 3
The world's first 'Swiss Army knife' has been revealed - made 1,800 years before its modern counterpart. An intricately designed Roman implement, which dates back to 200AD, it is made from silver but has an iron blade. It features a spoon, fork as well as a retractable spike, spatula and small tooth-pick.
Subscribe on iTunes Featuring; Centenary Observance, An Approach to Policy, 3rd in the series Instructional Methods for Scouts, Scoutmaster Minute; A Hot Mess Most of you know that us blogging podcasters or podcasting bloggers (your choice) thrive on conversation with our readers and/or listeners.
Sir Robert Baden Powell had a very simple idea: The aim of the Scout training is to improve the standard of our future citizenhood, especially in Character and Health; to replace Self with Service, to make the lads individually efficient morally and physically, with the object of using that efficiency for service for their fellow-men.
The current question for the What Would You Do? feature in Scouting Magazine: Phone calls, snail mail, and even e-mail seem antiquated to many of our Scouts. We're exploring nontraditional communications forms such as Twitter, Facebook, and mass-calling systems, but we need guidance.
Sir: I've been told by my Committee Chairman Boy Scouts are not allowed to use power tools nor climb ladders. Yet, when I look into the Guide to Safe Scouting, I find nothing of the sort. Have I overlooked something?
Mistakes are always made. Although our aspirations and expectations are high we rarely bring a project to completion without a misstep or difficulty. With the responsibility for planning and presenting Scouting is in the hands of the youth leadership the way we react to mistakes is important.
A cademic testing (love it or hate it) does not measure these qualities; Civic-mindedness Endurance Peace Compassion Enthusiasm Persistence Courage Humility Reliability Creativity Imagination Resilience Critical thinking Inquisitiveness Resourcefulness Curiosity Leadership Self-Awareness Empathy Motivation Self-discipline Sense of Humor Scouting is designed to foster and recognize a well-rounded personality that goes on to be a contributing…
Scoutmaster Podcast 2 Featuring; 5 Things to Make the Most of Your Opportunity as a Scout Leader, Father Fred, 2nd in the series Instructional Methods for Scouts, Scoutmaster Minute; Cliff Young Most of you know that us blogging podcasters or podcasting bloggers (your choice) thrive on conversation with our readers and/or listeners.
Here, in no particular order, are ten moments that mark some of the best times I've spent as a Scoutmaster: One early spring night we all got up at three in the morning and hiked our sleeping bags and pads down to a field at camp and watched a meteor shower.
Here's an interesting resource that offers a way to integrate Scouting with portable technology: Tech Chip Based on the Tote'n Chip concept. It was created by Troop 479 in Eden Prairie, MN. The troop has designed a training outline and has wallet cards for purchase - see Tech Chip Training Plan for details.
Within the next several hours of my writing this a few hundred, or perhaps a few thousand, people will comment on this Manifesto written by Seth Godin . Godin is a leading voice in what he characterizes as 'the new industrial revolution'.
Adolescence is an often difficult, unstable time and adolescents tend towards actions and attitudes that we find upsetting. Recent research points out that much of the chaos of adolescence is owing to a period physical brain development we are only now beginning to understand.
Scoutmaster Podcast 1 So here it is folks. I hope that this proves useful. (Click on the player above to hear the podcast) I listen to a number of podcasts and 'read' audiobooks regularly so publishing a podcast that compliments the blog seems like a reasonable next step.
Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, essentially an apostolic work, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect.
Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, essentially an apostolic work, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect.
A recent email : My son and I are blessed to live in an area with a good deal of quality Troops nearby. We visited seven Troops, two of them twice for a total of nine visits. This was an invaluable experience and really allowed my son and I to get a great insight into the…
Most of us can recall being part of an unusually motivating and effective team or group when the dynamics of people, purpose and situation fell together in a particularly rewarding way. During my time as a Camp Director and Commissioner we very consciously built our staff on the principles enumerated below.
Stephanie asks: I just became the Scoutmaster of my troop a couple of months ago, so needless to say I am very new at this. Our charter is having their Blue & Gold Banquet this coming week, along with the bridging ceremony.
Empowered, autonomous and responsible youth leadership is the heart of Scouting. Our job as Scoutmasters is to maintain a safe environment where the youth leadership is free to function with full responsibility. To encourage , coach and mentor rather than manage, delegate and compel.
Scout Tracker records individual rank advancement in a Scout's iPhone or iPod touch. The current version includes the January 1, 2010 rank requirements. This simple, utilitarian and welcome way of tracking advancement is another demonstration of how useful an iPod, iPhone or similar device can be in Scouting.
Bushcraft is a popular term for wilderness skills in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England. Andrew Price presents a series of instructional videos, recorded in Wales, all accessible online or as a DVD. A-Z Bushcraft
Scoutmaster G.B. from Austin, Texas sent me the following: Our troop has a Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) every first Monday. Last Monday the older boys were really acting up. I asked the senior patrol leader (SPL) to get the meeting under control but neither he nor the assistant senior patrol leader responded to my request.
From Ryan Dionne at The Gear Junkie Boy Scouts young and old remember the traditional A-frame tent. For many, that tent was a Eureka Timberline. So to commemorate the Boy Scouts of America's 100th anniversary, Eureka has upgraded the Timberline with its Timberline SQ Outfitter model.
Fifth and final entry in a series of thoughts about looking ahead . Do we meet key indicators of effectively presenting our program? The quality unit award (now the centennial quality unit award ) has been the generally accepted standard for assessing unit program.
Fourth in a series of thoughts about looking ahead . How will we reach and or maintain financial stability? Great Scouting is not dependent on a lavish budget; just ask your Council Executive. Every Troop, Pack and Crew I know of raises money to support its program.
We recruit Scouts from two general populations- 1. Webelos 2. Everybody else Webelos recruitment is simple to understand although it requires a fair amount of effort. Much has been written on Webelos transitions so I will not retrench the subject here.
Who are our key unit leaders for the next five years? Typical Scout units change key leaders every three to five years. Anyone in a leadership position, especially key positions, should have their eye on suitable replacements. Responsible outgoing leaders should see that there is a clear plan in place for those who will take…
What is the minimum annual number of new members (youth and adult) to maintain our unit? Our Troop has hovered around thirty to thirty five Scouts for many years now. We maintain an active contingent of five or six uniformed adult leaders (ones that we usually see at a Troop meeting) and four or five…
Scouting programs falter and sometimes fold because they don't answer these questions: 1. What is the minimum annual number of new members (youth and adult) to maintain our unit? 2. Who are our key unit leaders for the next five years?
Scouting is sharing goodwill, a celebration of potential and the recognition that our common effort far outweighs our differences. My heartfelt aspiration in this season of aspirations is that we all; as scouts, as citizens, as human beings, gain a greater recognition of the powerful influence for good that each of us possesses and so…
Blogging and statistics; it's easy to get the cart before the horse. When I started this blog a little more than three years ago I was much more interested in statistics than I am now. Now I am reasonably sure that I have actual readers and am not just writing off into the void somewhere.
At its most elementary level then we can define game as an exercise of voluntary control systems in which there is an opposition between forces, confined by a procedure and rules in order to produce a disequilibrial outcome." Avedon and Smith Play and games are valued as vital contributors to our development as humans.
Scouts serve their communities all year long but the holidays present many special opportunities for helping make the season special for everyone. Last year our Patrol leader's Council contacted a local service agency and committed to providing gifts for several families in need.
Is Scouting really competing with sports, clubs and similar activities? Aren't our goals somewhat similar to those of organized sports, preforming arts, debate, and the many other extra-curricular activities available to our Scouts? I've adopted the attitude that we cooperate with these other activities in offering our youth every advantage in learning something about the…
This post from Scouting Magazine's Cracker Barrel answers a question I sent in: We at Cracker Barrel feel geographically blessed to be in the same building as most of the Boy Scouts of America's major decision-makers. So when one of you comes to us with a question about Scouting policy, we know how to find…
Trust the Program Rely on 100 years of proven results Embrace changes when they are announced - stay current No short-cuts When you make things easier for adults you usually diminish the experience for Scouts Conduct activities that are age appropriate Understand how the Scouting program responds to the age group you are working with.
Thanks to Walter for launching this train of thought (read his comment to yesterday's A Question of Scout Spirit ) Unpredictable sometimes difficult behavior is part of adolescence so it is a part of Scouting. Scouting responds with a program who's intrinsic design is a response to this and the other vagaries of being a Scout-aged…
Unpredictable sometimes difficult Scout behavior is part of adolescence so it is a part of Scouting. Scouting responds with a program who’s intrinsic design is a response to this and the other vagaries of being a Scout-aged boy. Boys naturally form groups within groups and institute traditions and practices like initiations, pecking orders and all…
I recently received this question via email: I am a new Scoutmaster and I think I have a bit of background on Scouting. However, I have been reading your Eagle posts with some confusion and need some enlightenment. I have a Scout, who is a Life currently, and is 17 years 1 month old.
In my a recent post I shared my advice to a Scout who is having difficulties with his Scoutmaster. It got me to thinking about how we maintain discipline, require accountability and promote responsibility without resorting to shame or allowing our anger to take over.
This is an email message I sent to a Scout who's parents have been corresponding with me over the all-to-common problem of a Scoutmaster who is making an Eagle Candidate's life miserable for no good reason. I'm not going to go into all the particulars here.
The new blog 'Cub Dad' has made a promising beginning and should be of great interest to any Scout leader. The blog chronicles "A discovery of cub scouting through the eyes and experiences of a 45-year-old father and his 7-year-old cub scout."
The clip below is part of Frontline's Inside the Teenage Brain . Parents, teachers and anyone who works with youth will find the show enlightening. Relatively new technologies have allowed scientists to examine the development of the brain as never before.
