Called to the Carpet

  On Sunday our Pack Committee Meeting.  It was a good meeting.  We have an agenda that we plow through.  Figuring out what needs to get done, by who and when.  Some discussion about events and projects that we want done.  There are reports on all the den activity and progress.

During this meeting I had to defend my stance on why the new boys were getting their Bobcats.  Point was that generally none of the current boys really could give you the Cubscout Promise or Law of the Pack.  Yes, it’s pretty sad.  Most of the boys cannot say it without prompting with some more than others. That is why I started having it with the Opening Flag and doing it at every chance we get.

Within the Pack, when Elliot was a Tiger,  all we did was the pledge, flag, awards and a brief talk and maybe a game.  That was all we really did.   So, for the most part I followed the agenda of the meetings but I kept putting in stuff that I wanted to see.  Remember, I was only a Wolf and I this is the start of my fourth year in the Pack and third as Cubmaster.  So, I have learned a lot of what I want to do from Roundtable, Wood Badge, Pow-Wow, PTCMEDIA and surfing the Internet.  I still have a lot to learn and do.

Towards the middle of the year, I started to inject the Promise and Law as much as I could.  Hindsight, I should have done it earlier and and required at all meetings.  At the end of the year, I had placed it in the Pack Meetings and now require it at all openings.

Back to the defensive stance.  I explained that as our tradition the boys getting the Bobcat will get it.  I will ask them several questions, but slacked on the Promise & Law.  I got questioned on why.  I explained that Tigers generally cannot recite it.  Once in a great while a Tiger can.  I walk them through the sign, motto, handshake, WEBELOS and then had it out.  This year is a tad different since I am going talk them through the Promise and Law.

A few Committee Members got on me about how their son could not recite it publically cause they do not know it.  I explained that is why I am doing it at Openings and that I am getting back to what a Tradition Pack SHOULD BE!  They all understand and agree that it needs to be done.  However, a debate ensued of “Did they earn the Bobcat?”  I explained that in the Tiger meetings we went through all of it, having them repeat it several times, asking them what each line ment.  Several of the less shy boys stepped up and explained  what they thought it meant.  So, we did go through the whole process.

Then, it came.  I got called to the carpet.  I was asked by the Committee Chair as Cubmaster to recite the Promise and Law.  He did it right there. Crap….my worst fear.  Asked for the Promise and Law…..  On the Carpet and failed.  Yes, it’s something that I just have not worked at, and it should be something that I should know by heart.  My Committee Chair does.

So, I am starting to practice the Promise and Law.  If the Cubscouts are required, then the Leaders will be required as well.

Yours in Scouting….

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Thoughts on BSA Training

Training is a wonderful thing, if done correctly.  It is not someone reading from a book or Powerpoint slide presentation as the participants read from it.  That is Death by Powerpoint. (DBP).  The District Committee Member’s Key is the knot that is shown here.  As most of you know, I have accepted the position of Training Chair for my District.  I am also on the committee for our Program & Training Conference this year.  The Council has done away with Pow-Wow and Advancement Extravaganza and mushed them together.

Along with many of my 2011 Wood Badge Assistant Course Directors (yes, that’s what my certificate says) and a few participants, I am co-teaching a class at PTC.  I am really excited.  It is “How to Use Social Media to promote Scout Units”.  With all of my interactions with those at PTCMedia and SCOUTNATION, it’s going to be pretty easy.  I have been learning from them and others on Twitter & G+.

However, back to the Knot above.   In our district, a lot of us are fresh to the Committee and also fresh to our positions.  That being that case, I realized that we needed training and that a District Committee Training Workshop is what we needed.   I will say that I read about it first before finding out it was a requirement for the knot.  That being said, I emailed both the District Chair and Exec and said we need to do this.  Both agreed.  So, now we just have to find a date and place.

This training will allow us as a District to come to understand more about what we are supposed to be doing and how to be a team.  Just because my Wood Badge ticket is over, doesn’t mean I don’t need another ticket.   If we can do this and come up with an annual District Calendar/Plan we will be soild.

Another aspect to me being a Training Chair is to provide Training to all those who need it, even if they don’t know they need it.  One of the major reasons I wanted to be Training Chair is that I wanted BALOO and OWLS training to be offered.  In talking with several people on the Committee is was apparent that keeping OWLS/BALOO seperate from ITOLS.  They are just NOT the same.  Seeing how different they are, how could you mesh them together.  If you look at what Chief Seattle Council does for OWLS it’s vastly different from what I have heard of and what others tell me.  (You need to click into Cubscouts and then OWLS for the info.  I cannot link directly to it.)  I will be pulling from this site for both BALOO and OWLS.

That being said, my Program Chair/Cubscout Rountable Commissioner asked about having BALOO during two Roundtable sessions 3 hours each.  Six to nine at night?  I suspect we will order dinner or make it while we are there as part of the requirement.  Still working on that.  Next up is OWLS.  Might do this during Cub-O-Ree.  Four hours a day over two days.  That way, everyone is with their Family/Pack for Cub-O-Ree.

Overall, if the BSA National has Knots that can be earned, it should be the respondsibility of the local Council and District to put on these trainings.  This will allow the knowledge flow from those who understand the program to those who want it.  It will end up helping that person, their unit and in the end the Scouts themselves.

If you do not provide training at any level, then how can you have a functioning Scout program?
YIS

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Teaching at Pow-wow 2010

The Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner sent a note the other day asking for who would be interested in help teaching at this year’s Pow-wow.  I had already signed up, but still interested.  I really want to go this year and then teach next year.

Through playing email tag back and forth, it came to pass that I would teach “Recognition” class.  This is the class that helps Pack show appreciation to those volunteers who are parents, den leaders, committee members, grandparents or other related people within the pack.

This is right up my alley since I am huge into making sure people get the recognition they deserve.

I now have my in with Pow-wow and hopefully I can come back for years and teach many other classes.

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March’s Pack Meeting

So as with any Cubmaster, getting up in front of the boys and parents can be very interesting.  In my real life job, I go to Print for Pay locations and train people on how to use Xerox equipment. I generally have between 1-5 people that I train.  I do do large crowds at District meetings and conferences.  However, those are few.

Needles to say, I am somewhat comfortable about being in front of people.  However, I have an audience for 45 to 70 minutes that I am in charge of.  Tough crowd and no Two Drink limit either!

I am very used to just getting up there and winging it as I go along.  However, in going to Wood Badge and listening to other people, I have starting to write down or plot out what I am going to do.

There is a lot of research that I do for looking into what I think “Fun” would be for the boys.  I always remember that they have NOT joined Cubscouts for a lecture on FUN. THEY WANT FUN!

So, for this month’s pack meeting I dug out the 2009 Pow-Wow CD that I got.  WOW. This thing is PACKED FULL of great stuff!

I am trying to keep with the March theme of “Take Flight.”  Below is what I am generally going to do.

My Troop Guide for the Beaver Patrol @ WE1-492-09 Woodbadge asked me recently “Do you sing at Pack Meetings?”  No, I said.  Hence, we are singing at every Pack Meeting.

Also, during Wood Badge I got introduced to “ScoutMaster’s Minute.”  Hey, I can do that!  So, now I have one each Pack Meeting.

During my talk with the Troup Guide, he said: Your not there to entertain the parents. Your there for the boys.  BE SILLY! Get out of your comfort zone!

This is coming from a man who was deathly afraid of speaking in public, but now has over seven years of being a CubMaster.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

March Pack Meeting:

Gathering Activity:

 Have your Cubs soar with paper airplanes They can make these or design their own. If you want you can set up contests for distance or design or …  Have a Hula Hoop held by Scout Parent and have boys try to throw their plane through it.

Flag:

Interpretation of the Cub Scout Promise

Props: Each Cub Scout holding a sign with his part of the Cub Scout Promise on it.

Cub # 1: I, _________ PROMISE – A promise is a solemn vow, where your good reputation is at stake.

Cub # 2: TO DO MY BEST – Your best is giving all you‘ve got when you have something to do… and working on it with all your heart and all your strength and devotion you have.

Cub # 3: TO DO MY DUTY – To do the job; to meet the responsibilities; to do what must be done, not just half-way, but completely and fully so that you‘re proud of your work.

Cub # 4: TO GOD AND MY COUNTRY – First, duty to God. Fulfill your religious responsibilities and uphold our religious beliefs. Second, duty to country. I know you‘ve been told how lucky you are to live in a free country and I hope you are aware of what freedom means. You should try to be a good citizen.

Cub # 5: TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE – To help… it doesn‘t say how much. It could mean saving a life or changing a tire or carrying a bag of groceries. To help other people… not just your own family. The best time to help is when you have to go out of your way to do it. Cub # 6: TO OBEY THE LAW OF THE PACK – So that we will all remember

Game:

 Airplane Toss Game

Viking Council

Each Cub Scout folds his own paper airplane from a sheet of paper. Let the boys have a few minutes to fly their planes to get used to their own. Then have contests, such as: Greatest distance flight, most accurate flight to airport (box), flight through hoops the greatest distance, staying airborne the longest, etc. You can use the airplanes your Cubs made during the pre-opening or design new ones!

Talk about Beltloops/Pins:

Advancement”

Finn: to Wolf and also leaving the Pack for San Diego.

North Star Advancement Ceremony

Circle Ten Council

Personnel: Cubmaster, the advancing Cub Scouts and their parents.

Equipment: Pinhole planetarium punched for the Big Dipper and North Star, flashlight (or other representation of the big Dipper and north Star)

Set Up – The lights are dimmed with the Cubmaster shining the flashlight through the pinhole planetarium at the ceiling or wall. The Big Dipper and North Star should be showing.

Assistant CM – Call advancing boys and their parents forward.

Cubmaster: For thousands of years, men have known that the North Star is fixed. Shepherds knew it and seamen have used it and other heavenly bodies to guide their ships to port ever since they first dared leave the sight of land. Even today, the stars are important in navigation for ships, jet planes and spaceships. Cub Scouts don’t need the stars to find their way. But even so, you do have your own guiding stars to help you through life. For example, there is your church, your school and Cub Scouting.

In Cub Scouting, our navigational aids are the Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack. They tell us how we should act and what we should do for ourselves and for others. The Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack are just like the stars by which the seaman steers his ship.

Tonight we honor these Cub Scouts who are navigating straight and true on the Cub Scout trail. With their parents’ help, they have advanced on the trail and have shown that they live by the Cub Scout Promise and the Law.

(Present the awards now. Remembering to give the awards to the parents to present to their sons. Awards could be attached to a shiny star.)

SONG:

 The Noble Captain Kirk

(Tune: The Grand Old Duke of York)

Circle Ten Council

The noble Captain Kirk,

He had four hundred men.

He beamed them up to the Enterprise,

And beamed them down again.

And when they’re up, they’re up.

And when they’re down, they’re down.

And when they’re only half way up.

They’re nowhere to be seen.

Annoucements:

Cubmaster Minute:

From Jesse: Tell them they rock and that I am impressed with them. It seems not nearly as many boys do what they do these days. They are the future of this nation and even if they don’t realize it yet, they are already serving their country.

Closing: Living Circle

Staging: Each Den forms a “Living Circle”. The Cubmaster gives a closing thought.

Cubmaster: Do you ever notice how pleasant it is to be around people who have a cheerful attitude? On the other hand, we sometimes avoid a person who is grumpy and looks on the dark side of things.

There may be a very good reason why these people do not look happy. The next time you see someone who looks unhappy, be a Mr. Fix-it! Smile and say “Hello” and you may just change their mood.

Cub Scouts who have a cheerful attitude not only make life easier for themselves, but spread their happiness to others.

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