From <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Sat Mar 7 02:00:19 1998 Return-Path: <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Received: from server1.capaccess.org (server1.CapAccess.org [151.200.199.15]) by cap1.CapAccess.org (8.6.12/8.6.10) with ESMTP id CAA24519 for ; Sat, 7 Mar 1998 02:00:19 -0500 Received: from tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (TCUAVM.IS.TCU.EDU [138.237.128.148]) by server1.capaccess.org (AIX4.2/UCB 8.7/8.7) with SMTP id BAA31448 for ; Sat, 7 Mar 1998 01:51:46 -0500 (EST) Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 8630; Sat, 07 Mar 98 00:51:34 CDT Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9584; Sat, 7 Mar 1998 00:36:45 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LISTSERV release 1.8b) with NJE id 8204 for SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU; Sat, 7 Mar 1998 00:34:45 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM (NJE origin SMTP@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 8203; Fri, 6 Mar 1998 14:22:04 -0500 Received: from mmac2.jccbi.gov by tcubvm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP; Fri, 06 Mar 98 14:21:48 CDT Received: from mmacmail.jccbi.gov by mmac2.jccbi.gov (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id OAA21552; Fri, 6 Mar 1998 14:19:40 -0600 Received: from ccMail by mmacmail.jccbi.gov (ccMail Link to SMTP R8.00.01) id AA889215462; Fri, 06 Mar 98 14:17:45 -0600 X-Mailer: ccMail Link to SMTP R8.00.01 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-ID: <9803068892.AA889215462@mmacmail.jccbi.gov> Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 14:14:24 -0600 Reply-To: barry_c_runnels@MMACMAIL.JCCBI.GOV Sender: Scouts-L Youth Group List From: Barry Runnels Subject: Restarting a Troop To: Multiple recipients of list SCOUTS-L Status: RO X-Status: Wow Ron this is great. I have seen many of your comments and advice and I think your perfect for the job. What I have seen in situations like yours is the boys will be fine. It is the adults that have to adjust. The boys are suppose to run the Troop but at this age, they don't know what to do so they rely on the adults. Since they know you as the leader, they will fall back on you everytime they fell uncomfortable with what they are doing. They don't want to fail, so lets go ask Ron to show us how. Your used to this because that is basically the Webelos Cub Scout way. What you have to do is figure out how to change the adult mind set to "this really is the boys Troop and your there only to guide them and prevent them from getting hurt". You need to put the responsibility of the Troop on them. Boy Run. But Boy Run is relative to the age and experience of the Scouts. An eleven year old Boy Scout does not have the maturity or experience to run a Troop like a 15 year old so you need to fill in where you can. But don't take over. They can do the job basically if you have the patience to let them. Example is in Webelos, we help the Scouts cook so that they get a positive fun experiance. Most Webelos leaders won't allow the Scout to ruin the meal. In the Troop the adults need to cook on their own and let the Scouts cook on their own. Help them build the schedule for the Troop meetings and campouts. Let them run it. Chances are the meeting will eventually fall apart. That is when you guide them how to put the signs up and give instructions. A Webelos leaders instinct is to jump in the middle and fix the problem they perceive. A Troop leader lets it go and then ask the Scout how he thinks he did. As a Webelos leader jumping in to save the day, you just took the meeting away from the boys. They may not really care at first because they were lost but still Scoutmaster Ron took over his Troop to prevent us from failing. I was reminded this week that just because we perceive the Scouts are doing bad doesn't mean they think they are doing bad. Thanks again for the help Don. So ask them how they think they are doing running the meetings before you tell they are not doing a good job. When we first started, we had a meeting where the SPL didn't know what to do so the group got rowdy. The Scoutmaster wasn't there that minute so one of the leaders grabbed a book and told everyone to shutup and sit down. Then he discussed first aid. The SPL thought he was fired. Next week the same thing happened, only our very wise SM walked up to the SPL and suggested he tell the two Patrol leaders to quiet their boys down when he puts the sign up. The 11 year old SPL tried and it worked. It may not always work that way, but you see my point. The SM didn't take the Troop away from the SPL, he just guided him with couple of pointers to help him. The other day I telling a friend of mine (who just started a new Troop) to let the boys teach you. Set your program to where they are responsible for RUNNING the campfire. He was doing all the planning and wanted to lead it as well. I wanted to tell him that his Scouts (they were my Webelos) have seen many campfires, so let them plan and run it. Because otherwise he is still acting like a Webelos Leader. Get them comfortable trying new things without the adults getting in the middle of it. It won't always (most of the time) go the way you want and sometimes it will go bad. I have a friend who says a bad day is a good learning day. Your job is help the Scouts understand why it went bad so they can try it different the next time. When you want the Scouts to understand a lesson learned, try reflection. Go to a Woodbadge page and find the part on reflection. Probably the single most important teaching tool I got from Woodbadge. I like to test myself by watching the Scouts and ask "if all the adults didn't show up today, would these guys still be behave like Scouts?". If you don't thinks so. Then figure out what needs to change. If you can get your guys to feel like it is their Troop now, by the time they are 13, you will be amazed how well they can really run it then. There will be times when your wondering is it all worth it, but the rest of the times will make you say, I love this Scouting Stuff. Have a great Scouting year. I know your Scouts will. Barry Runnels Troop 386 Edmond OK