Topic
What it takes to lead a troop week after week. Scoutmasters and assistant Scoutmasters wrote openly about vision, patience, mentoring youth leaders and the occasional rainy campout.
200 posts · 2007–2020
A reading list that spans blogs and years.
This second of twelve installments is a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in reply.
Dear Parents, As you may be aware, the Boy Scouts of America voted the other day to change its policy to allow boys that are homosexual to join the organization. This decision, even though it has been debated for the better part of a year continues to draw much discussion.
Jim announced at the May court of honor that he would be stepping down as the scoutmaster of Troop 68 at the end of August. His son had already turned 18 years old months before and he felt it was time for someone else to take over.
PTC Media Podcasts Have you checked out the PTC Media podcast site yet? ( http://www.ptcmedia.net ) The PTC Media network is a collection of seven Scouting related podcasts, six of them audio and one video. They are produced by four Scout leaders from across the United States.
I once had four bosses in the same job, all at the same time. At one point in my career, I was a department head at a branch location of a company that had a half-dozen locations around the country.
The successful Scoutmaster is a big brother to the scouts in his charge. His role is important but, when done correctly, appears to be easy and not very crucial to what is going on. These 10 skills will help a Scoutmaster succeed in his role: Fire Starting - Every boy likes fire.
So while I prepared yesterday, I ended up writing my thoughts and it evolved into my scoutmaster's vision statement. It will take a while but I hope to get the Scouts to come up with their own vision of our success.
There is a post over on Facebook, I don't know who all is in that group, but in a nutshell (why a nutshell and not a teacup, or a bowl?), the post rabbit trailed a bit from "why did you join the troop that you did?"
Here's some of the books that have helped me as a Scout leader and outdoorsman. This collection has helped me learn practical skills, history, outdoor lore, the Scouting program and provided inspiration for many years. Wildwoods Wisdom Ellsworth Jaeger was an educator, author and curator.
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.
Showing 1–50 of 200 posts
Left: Scoutmaster Elaine Mitchell (left) and her troop in January 2020. Right: A handmade card Mitchell sent to her Scouts this month. A text feels impersonal. An email can get lost in spam. But a handmade card with a personal message?
Scouts don’t get discouraged when life throws a curveball. They get creative. When Aaditya Gulati realized his troop couldn’t give its longtime Scoutmaster a more traditional send-off at a court of honor or special going-away party, the Life Scout devised another way.
A celebration that happens just once every four years. World-class venues packed with incredible moments. A spirit of unity, patriotism and courage. Turns out the National Jamboree and the Summer Olympics share a lot of similarities — with one exception: At a National Jamboree, everyone leaves a winner.
Scoutmaster John notices three Tenderfoot Scouts Liam, Ethan and Aiden across the room huddled around Assistant Scoutmaster Mark at a recent troop meeting, each with a rope in hand. They’re working on Second Class requirement 2g. , tying a bowline and describing when to use it.
A new book published by the Boy Scouts of America tracks the fascinating history of Wood Badge, from its founding by Lord Baden-Powell in 1919 to its current role as the BSA’s essential training program for adult leaders. The book, A History of Wood Badge in the United States by Kenneth P.
Ken Fineran dedicated much of his life to his country. The rest, he dedicated to Scouting. That’s why, when he died of cancer in 2016, his troop knew they had to do something to memorialize what he meant to their community.
On a recent campout, Scoutmaster Tim sat down to talk with Second Class Scout Jacob for a Scoutmaster conference. After he scribbled his initials in Jacob’s handbook, the Scoutmaster looked around and realized something: almost all of the campers were below the First Class rank.
We can’t say for sure that Eagle Scout George Oldroyd was the youngest Scoutmaster in BSA history. What we can say for certain is that he was at least tied for that honor. BSA rules say a man or woman must be 21 to serve as Scoutmaster.
TC is the first Eagle Scout from Burma in the last 60 years – but it wasn’t long ago that he says he was in jeopardy of potentially joining a gang. Now an assistant Scoutmaster, the Eagle says Scouting made a significant impact on his life as he adjusted to American life and learned to make…
Scoutmaster Joe Hayes of Dallas, TX knows how impactful Scouting can be for children today – and that’s part of the reason he felt compelled to mentor and lead youth into becoming the leaders of tomorrow. He knows Scouting transforms youth into responsible members of society.
After the BSA Board of Directors’ historic decision to welcome girls into Scouting , many in the Scouting community had just one question: When can my daughter sign up? Other Scouters had more specific questions about the reasons for the move, implementation and rollout plan.
Sometimes the desire to support Scouting’s youth-led model clashes with the wishes of parents or your fellow Scouters. That’s happening now in a troop in the northeast. The senior patrol leader wants to shuffle the patrols; some parents and assistant Scoutmasters are against the idea.
Jim Potjunas left an indelible mark on Troop 101 and the entire community of Warren, Ohio. Potjunas was just 18 when he helped start the troop 42 years ago. Five years later, he became its Scoutmaster. He led the troop for 37 years, during which time he helped 148 young men become Eagle Scouts.
A while back, we ran a couple articles about the role that other adults play in a Boy Scout troop. By “other” adults, I’m referring to assistant Scoutmasters, committee members and parents of Scouts. But sometimes, you encounter a situation where adults like to stick around after their sons have aged out and moved on.
Because he devoted so much of his life to Scouting, Bill Hemenway was many different things to countless Scouts and Scouters. To some he was a troopmate or Order of the Arrow brother. To others, he was a Cubmaster or Scoutmaster.
I’ve struggled to understand the role of a junior assistant Scoutmaster. It’s right there on the organizational chart, it has a (kind of fuzzy) job description, but (like many of you) I never found a way to apply this role to my complete satisfaction.
I once had four bosses in the same job, all at the same time. At one point in my career, I was a department head at a branch location of a company that had a half-dozen locations around the country.
Handing a Boy Scout a badge of office doesn’t automatically make him a good leader. He needs to be trained. He needs to take the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops, or ILST. This training course is conducted in three modules — each 60 to 90 minutes.
When a young man turns 18 and heads off to college out of town or out of state, one of two things usually happens. You might lose track of him as he begins this new chapter of life — Scouting just a happy, though formative, part of his past.
There are two types of vacancies in adult leader positions in Scouting: expected and unexpected. But even the latter type of departure - perhaps a result of injury, illness or a Scouter moving away - can be taken in stride. That is, if you've established a succession plan.
Forrest Gertin, an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor OA member from Rochester, N.Y., will serve as 2017 National Chief of the Order of the Arrow. His election was announced late last week by the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's national honor society.
I often have discussions with Scoutmasters about what constitutes a "Boy Led Troop". There seems to be a misunderstanding as to what that means and it is executed in different ways depending on the unit. But there is a right way to have youth lead and a wrong way.
A Scoutmaster is not… … the boss of a company and youth leadership are not employees we discipline or hire and fire. A Scoutmaster is not a commanding officer and Scouts are not soldiers who can be disciplined for "conduct unbecoming" a Scout, so let's get that foolish idea out of our heads as well.
Jim announced at the May court of honor that he would be stepping down as the scoutmaster of Troop 68 at the end of August. His son had already turned 18 years old months before and he felt it was time for someone else to take over.
I once had an Assistant Scoutmaster in our unit that came to me one night and announced the he was "Burned Out" and that he was leaving Scouting because "Enough was Enough". He felt that he no longer had something to give the program.
Chuck Eaton grew up in a single-parent home. His mom enrolled him in Cub Scouting because "she wanted neighborhood dads to teach me things she didn't know about," he says. "How to change the oil, simple home repairs, how to camp, how to fish, probably even how to talk sports.
When a Scoutmaster suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on a nearby trail, Scouts Drew N. and Jacob E. ran to his aid. The Scouts, who are from the Boy Scouts of America Mount Baker Council , were working as lifeguards at their local Scout camp and had to run barefoot along a gravel trail to reach…
Wow. I just realized I missed the anniversary of this blog. It is hard to believe all the years that I have been sharing my thoughts, activities, and special events with you through this site known as A Scoutmaster's Blog .
Scoutmaster Bud Boyer of the North Florida Council (Photo credit: Ocala.com) Committed adult volunteers are paramount to the success of delivering the values-based programs the Boy Scouts of America aims to provide youth. Volunteers like Bud Boyer of the North Florida Council are a prime example of what it looks like to generously serve the…
On its surface, Norman Rockwell's The Scoutmaster painting depicts a satisfied and pensive adult leader peering into a fading campfire. The sun has set. The Scouts are asleep. All is quiet. But go a layer deeper, and there's more to The Scoutmaster than meets the eye.
Are Scoutmaster's Conferences a retest? Can assistant Scoutmasters do them? This week we'll catch up on listener email by answering these questions and more. When it comes to Scoutmaster conferences they are explained unambiguously in teh Guide to Advancement, so n one of this is a matter of opinion or a difference in style, it…
Yes, your official title - the position indicated on your BSA registration - says you're an assistant Scoutmaster. But now a Scouting colleague has asked you to sit on the troop committee as well. You agree (just an hour a week, right?), but when you try to register your second position, it turns out the BSA's registration…
For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America has enriched the lives of countless youth across the country – all thanks to the passionate leaders and volunteers who strive to make Scouting a meaningful program. But what many may forget is that Scouting isn’t just benefiting youth, Scouting is making a positive impact on…
During his lifetime Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide Scouting movement, wrote many books and articles directed to Scouters. Each Sunday I'll publish a selection from his writings in the hope that you'll draw inspiration and understanding from his timeless ideas.
The successful Scoutmaster is a big brother to the scouts in his charge. His role is important but, when done correctly, appears to be easy and not very crucial to what is going on. These 10 skills will help a Scoutmaster succeed in his role: Fire Starting - Every boy likes fire.
What do Assistant Scoutmasters do? In this week's podcast I'll opine on the reaction to a recent post on a Scouts Duty to God . I'll also answer email questions on what assistant Scoutmasters do and Webelos dens as Scout patrols.
This is is sixth in a series of posts abut the new rank requirements that take effect on January 1, 2016. Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class | Star | Life | Eagle (these links will be active as each installment is published ) Exactly how the new requirements are phased in is explained in this PDF document – Notes…
On Monday, July 27, the National Executive Board ratified a resolution that removes the national restriction on openly gay adult leaders and employees. The resolution was recommended for ratification by the Executive Committee earlier this month. Of those present and voting, 79 percent voted in favor of the resolution.
This is is second in a series of posts abut the new rank requirements that take effect on January 1, 2016. Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class | Star | Life | Eagle (these links will be active as each installment is published ) How the new requirements are phased in is explained in this PDF document – Notes on…
During the 2015 Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting in May, Dr. Gates encouraged the Scouting family to reflect on the challenges, primarily regarding adult leadership standards, facing the BSA and potential alternatives for addressing them. As a result of the rapid changes in society and increasing legal challenges at the federal, state, and…
Margaret sent in this question: Are single moms allowed to be assistant scoutmasters and go along on outings and campouts with boy scout troops as long as there are separate bathroom facilities? Thanks for the question Margaret. The BSA does not ban women, single or otherwise, from serving in any adult leadership roles in the…
A 16- or 17-year-old Boy Scout can serve his fellow Scouts in the position of junior assistant Scoutmaster. But how best to use these young leaders?
Here's an comprehensive look at the Scoutmaster's conference. All of the references below are official publications of the BSA (the Guide to Advancement 2013 and the Scoutmaster's Handbook ). I have refrained from adding any commentary or opinion because I think the resources can speak for themselves.
Most of you will have read the series "A New Scoutmaster" I started publishing this fall ( here's the first chapter ). Because of the overwhelmingly positive response I expanded the story past the original twelve chapters, edited, expanded what I had already written and I am happy to offer the result in my new book So…
This is the fourteenth installment in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in reply.
This is the twelfth installment in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in reply.
This is the eleventh of twelve installments in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in…
This is the eighth of twelve installments in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in…
This is the seventh of twelve installments in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in…
This is the sixth of twelve installments in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I've based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in…
