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
Showing 51–100 of 200 posts
This is the fifth 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 fourth 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…
A reader sent in this question: What if the troop committee board is planning everything and the Scoutmaster is out of the loop? This is a difficult and frustrating situation for a Scoutmaster. In most troops, the Scoutmaster and youth leadership work together to plan and execute a program.
This is the third 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…
Northern Tier's Ely Trail staff director received the following letter from a Scoutmaster. The letter is a true testimonial to the benefit of having a Northern Tier interpreter and the value of a Northern Tier trek: Good afternoon: I wanted to provide some feedback on our troop's Northern Tier experience.
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.
This first 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.
I received this email from a new Scoutmaster a day or two ago: I was presented with the opportunity to take over as our new Scoutmaster some months ago and asked your advice. I had some concerns about the level of adult involvement in what should be a boy-led troop.
This Scoutmaster's minute is based on one of Aesop's Fables. The Wind and the Sun were arguing. It's a little know fact but, every once in a while, the forces of nature have an argument, and I happened to overhear them the other day.
Camp Cooper, 2005 Troop is 2 years old. I have been digging through my collection of Troop Pictures and wanted to find some good annual pictures of our Troop, you know, the Summer camp shots that show what a great year of Scouting we had.
Dianne sent in this question: My son has been in a very small Boy Scout Troop for 2 years now. We started with about 20 scouts, and now here are only 9 active scouts. Most have earned their Eagle rank and left.
I think many of us have a special memory of a Scout that we brought along the trail who didn't really get off to a great start, but later really touched our hearts and minds. Here is such a story , as told by Chicago area Scoutmaster Jack Herman recently to the Chicago Reader: Scoutmaster Jack…
On this day, my 4 th anniversary of serving as a Scoutmaster , I got to thinking about what I might have done differently. What do I know now that I didn't know then? …and what would I change if I had the chance to do it all over again?
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?"
Scouting is not an abstruse or difficult science: rather it is a jolly game if you take it in the right light. At the same time it is educative, and (like Mercy) it is apt to benefit him that giveth as well as him that receiveth."
Scoutmasters can retire or move away, but their legacy lives on. You'll find this imprint in the troop's traditions, in signature meals and in frequently visited camping destinations. And it remains even after every Scout who was there during the Scoutmaster's tenure has grown up.
A troop's tradition of passing the same position patch from one Scoutmaster to the next has been forever encapsulated in a beautifully written poem. The piece, from the pen of Troop 159 Assistant Scoutmaster Nick Dorosheff, ponders the Scouting magic stored in that "small circle of tan cloth."
This weekend I sat with a Scout and talked with him. It was a Scoutmaster conference, but unlike other Scoutmaster conferences that I have done, this was a first. It was the first time I sat with a Scout for Eagle Palms.
I ended up going to Joey's pack meeting last week. We did the raingutter regatta, and other than a couple of parental hiccups, it went pretty good. I got to talk to some of the Webelos, also. With a series of unfortunate events, I haven't had a chance to talk with any of the Webelos.
A reader sent a link to a venerable work published many decades ago titled " Principles of Scoutmastership in Relation to Boy Development " prepared by a commission who set themselves the task of answering these questions 1. What is this development we seek for the boy?
Registering a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster Posted in Adult LeadershipLeadershipYouth LeadershipReader Michael sent in this question: How do I go about registering an Eagle Scout in my troop as a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster? Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in...
A ripping good yarn from John Thurman's Patrol Leader's Handbook was aimed at helping the Scouts of 1950 catch the spirit of their work as patrol leaders. I offer it here to spark your imagination, and to answer the question ‘why do we have Scoutmasters?'; In the early days of Scouting boys from all over…
Last month I conducted Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster Specific Training for our District. Well, ostensibly it was for the District, but for whatever reason, only volunteers from our Troop came to be trained. This training, if you haven't gone through it yet, is pretty straight forward. I've taught it a few times and have just
________________________________________ Dear Andy, I read your column with the question about Scoutmasters taking over the announcements really hit home-it could have been written about me! We have a good troop that's active, uniformed, and youth-run. Thanks to you, I just made a commitment that the Senior Patrol Leader will no longer stand on the sidelines while…
Well, it has been a long time since our last post.. I'll get you caught up real quick and then move on to the subject for this post.. Resetting… As you know if you have been following the blog for some time, my youngest son is a great football player.
(Article adapted from Scouting magazine's "Bryan on Scouting" blog .) Later this year, the two-volume Troop Leader Guidebook will debut, replacing the Scoutmaster Handbook and offering helpful checklists, quick tips, and fresh ideas for both new troop leaders and veteran Scouters.
If you judge the Scoutmaster Handbook by its cover, you might assume it's solely meant for, well, Scoutmasters. Assistant Scoutmasters, it seemed, were to look elsewhere for Scouting wisdom. That's about to change. Later this year, the two-volume Troop Leader Guidebook will debut, replacing the Scoutmaster Handbook and offering helpful checklists, quick tips and fresh…
The Spirit of Scouting and the Spirit of the Scoutmaster The Spirit of the Scout Master must be the spirit of Scouting itself. There is hardly any use of a Scout Master trying to teach the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law, if he is not living them himself. The spirit of the
How well are we applying the patrol system? I often ask myself this question and I am constantly looking for ways to improve the experience for our Scouts. I've set up a patrol system survey to see how the patrol system is used in other troops, ( there aren't any ‘right' answers).
I have been in discussions lately.. yeah still talking about "The issue".. the good news is simply this. All of the discussions that I have been engaged in as of late are about where we go from here. Moving on.
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.
In this edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast it's time, once again, for another Scoutmaster Panel Discussion! Larry and Tom join me to discuss program evaluation tools and how we keep up with how well we are doing our work as Scoutmasters (or as any Scouting volunteer).
This email about one Webelos crossover to a troop needs little introduction or explanation, but one part bears repeating; Meetings don't cut it, selling the parents on how great a troop is doesn't cut it, your "reputation" of being a strong troop doesn't cut it.
35 years ago, Kathy Hall was a single mother of three in search of a male role model for her then 7 year-old son. She decided to enroll him in her neighborhood Boy Scout troop, under the Grand Towers district.
I asked Jay to write about his experiences in Scouting because I think it's important to get to know and understand each other, that young men like Jay are not new to Scouting, that they have always been there – Clarke To all my fellow Scouters – We are all engaged in a conversation about whether or…
I asked Jay to write about his experiences in Scouting because I think it’s important to get to know and understand each other, that young men like Jay, a gay Scout, are not new to Scouting, they have always been there – Clarke To all my fellow Scouters – We are all engaged in a conversation about…
If your council offers a University of Scouting adult leader training event, you should go! Seriously… don't hesitate, just get yourself registered. Similar to a Little Philmont event, I think it is well worth the time. I look forward to UoS every year as an opportunity to hear from others about their experiences, ask questions…
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.
Scoutmaster survival can hinge on these three P's – proportion, perspective and preparation, every Scoutmaster should know: Proportion You can only do so much, you have limitations and you have a breaking point. Having a sober estimate of these things about ourselves is important.
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…
Here's a Scoutmaster minute idea - Sometimes we need to slow down and concentrate on what we are doing. Sometimes we rush because we want to save time and we actually end up spending more time. What's interesting is that taking more time to begin with actually saves time in the long run.
Here's a Scoutmaster minute idea – See Preaching the Scoutmaster Minute and Seizing the Scoutmaster Minute and other Scoutmaster Minute ideas How do you put out a fire? Adding more fuel is not the answer. How do 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.
Rule No. 86: o Opinions are never substitutes for facts. ________________________________________ Dear Andy, About the question posed of caravans and convoying on Scouting trips, I was also surprised to not find this in the GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING. But I teach a BALOO course and the no caravan rule is part of the curriculum.
Personal items have been packed. The troop gear has been loaded. The freshly uniformed Scouts have chosen their rides. The vehicles have left town. Boy Scout Troop 68 is on its way to a week of camping at Many Point Scout Camp in northern Minnesota.
Boy Scout Troop 68 has a problem. We are looking for someone to become the scoutmaster. Unfortunately, no one seems interested in the position at this time. Having a small troop does not seem to be helping matters. Being in a community that has not been interested in having their boys in the Scout program…
For those of you new to Boy Scouting, please understand that it is not an advanced Webelos Program. Indeed, it is quite different. Unlike almost every other youth program, Boy Scouting is youth led and youth run. That's right, adults do not run a Boy Scout Troop.
As I think about what makes a good scouting program really work, I see it as a Three-way effort between the Scout, his parents and his adult leaders. If these three pieces don't work together like a three-legged stool, the program really struggles.
Here's a new one: An East Coast troop's uniform policy involves telling older Scouts not to wear their uniforms in public. Yep, it happened in Scouter B.C.'s troop. Here's how B.C., who asked me not to use their full name, explained it in an email to me last week: I have recently become the assistant…
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.
