From The Patrol System Published by Scouts Canada in 1960. Not a new idea, but a good one none-the-less. What would happen if you put this information in the hands of your patrol leaders? You want your gang to become a real Patrol—and only a hiking Patrol is a real one. We can break Patrol hikes generally into two classes. One—where you don’t want to be tied down by fire making and cooking....
William “Green Bar Bill” Hillcourt is the man who wrote the book on Scouting, literally. His Patrol Leader’s Handbook is, without a doubt, his best and most influential work. His understanding of scouting was simple, but not simplistic. Here he lays out the scoutmaster’s job in a few sentences: “Let them lead in practically everything. Let them work out their own problems, interfere as little as possible—but be ever ready to give wise guidance—not when you think they need it, but when they seek it....
“The Paper Chase” started as a novel, was made into a movie and, finally, a TV series in the 1970’s. The story follows a law student in his first year at Harvard. The student’s nemesis is the brilliant, dispassionate and relentlessness Professor Kingsfield. Kingsfield has an off-putting demeanor and, at first, appears to be indifferent to his students and their problems. What he knows, though, is that his relentless attitude actually serves the interests of his students....
One of my Scouts was out last fall for a while playing football and was thinking about not coming back. His dad encouraged him, he came back, and in February he was elected Patrol Leader. This led to him participating in our Troop Leader Training Conference (TLT). Now he is really pumped and excited about Scouts. This was something he talked about at his First Class Board of Review; two of the adults on the board told me how important the TLT was to this particular Scout....
Scout leadership is not all about ticking things off the to do list – or even having the list in the first place. Leaders possess the initiative, sense of purpose and skill that motivates others. They are able to look beyond the task into the motivation behind it, they are able to see what needs to happen three or four moves ahead; to anticipate the needs of those they are leading....
If the Patrol Leader’s Council (PLC) is supposed to be responsible for planning meetings and outings for their Troop how does this happen in practice? There is no universal model, agenda or method but there are some broad underlying principles: Give them the tools A little bit of training, a lot of questions and a lot of freedom to develop their own process. Let them do it Don’t hover, don’t badger, don’t manipulate....
Imagine you are 13 and have just been elected patrol leader. Perhaps you’ve watched how all this works for a year or two and have at least some idea of what patrol leader does. It’s likely that this is the first time you’ve had this kind of responsibility so you can’t really fully appreciate what it means. Perhaps you’ve received some formal training; maybe it made sense at the time, maybe it didn’t....
Scoutmaster Podcast 40 Interview with the authors of a fantastic patrol method book – Working the Patrol Method. Applying the patrol method is a perennial challenge for all of us, indeed it is the subject of much of the Scoutmaster blog and podcast. I cannot recommend Working the Patrol Method strongly enough – an essential tool for every Scoutmaster and adult leader. This podcast lasts 56 minutes (!) – I didn’t want to break up the interview....
Applying the patrol method is a perennial challenge for all of us, indeed it is the subject of much of the Scoutmaster blog and podcast. Someone took the time to make this patrol method video from the filmstrip that was part of the Scoutmaster Fundamentals course decades ago. However dated the format it is has some very pertinent, practical advice. The storytelling format is a very effective way to relate the principles involved....
Thanks to the 90 participants who responded to the patrol system survey. I have prepared an analysis of the results that I plan on using during a university of Scouting training event. The patrol system is the essential element of Scouting. It is the central focus of successfully delivering all that the Scouting program promises. Applying the patrol system (or method) has always been a challenge as it is often misunderstood....
One of the most common things I am asked about… .. is how to manage the transition from adult-led to youth-led Scouting. In this first of three podcasts talking about this transition I’ll point out that the process begins with education ourselves as to how Scouting is constituted, how the game is played. What we will learn is youth leadership youth leadership is central to achieving our aim as Scouters and we ought to do all we can assure we respect and encourage our Scouts authority and autonomy....
My new senior patrol leader and I were talking at a bridge crossing ceremony. He is about two or three meetings into his term a the leader of his troop of 45 Scouts. Like all of his predecessors he’s been caught in the headlights of the unexpected. He seemed to be totally stunned by the opening of his first troop meeting, something he has been through many times, and stood paralyzed for a few long seconds until a fellow Scout quietly suggested that he may want to lead the pledge of allegiance....
Scoutmaster Podcast 7 The second talk about moving from an adult lead to boy led troop. In This Podcast Troop Manuals, Contracts and the like [2:39] Retreat with George [9:19] Moving from Adult to Youth Leadership 2 [13:22] A Scout is Helpful [20:50] Podcast Notes Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Scoutmaster Podcast 6 Moving from Adult to Youth Leadership In This Podcast What is a Scoutmaster? [2:22] Humor – Moccasin Telegraph [9:35] Moving from Adult to Youth Leadership [13:29] Scoutmaster’s Minute – A Scout is Cheerful [20:18] Podcast Notes The Inquiry NetAsk Andy Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
I’ve recently taken over as Scoutmaster and we are working on reorganizing patrols. We have 38 scouts in 3 patrols. One has 11 or 12 scouts, all young and most of them go camping; the second has about 6 active scouts, 2 camp regularly. Patrol 3 is led by a Life Scout that is great with younger Scouts but is “too cool” to ever wear his uniform. The SPL and ASPL are NYLT trained and very motivated....
Continuing an examination of Patrols based on the 1960 Book The Patrol System (opens PDF file). ‘Patrol Spirit’ as described below is key to fostering strong Patrols- Patrol spirit doesn’t spring up like a mushroom overnight. It can’t be made to order. But it can be developed in the same way that a small tree can be helped along by giving it rich soil in which to grow, by tending it faithfully, by letting plenty of sun and air get to it, by pulling up the weeds that threaten to choke it....
Maintaining a written log is one of the requirements of the Standard Patrol Award at our summer camp. A few years ago we expanded on the idea and now a Patrol Logbook is kept year-round. Every night at camp ends with the Patrols gathering to record their thoughts in the Patrol Log. Patrol Leaders then bring the log to a Patrol Leader’s Council Meeting and review them with the Senior Patrol Leader....
A predictable frustration for Scoutmasters is the Scout who takes on a youth leadership position and doesn’t meet expectations. We may respond using employee-employer or soldier-officer thinking and tactics because these are familiar models. Scouts are not employees, Scoutmasters are not employers. Scouts are not Enlisted Men, Scoutmasters are not Officers. Scouts don’t sign contracts, they volunteer. I have attempted to write job descriptions and contracts for leadership positions in an attempt to lawyer my Scouts towards responsibility....
From Baden-Powells Outlook – THE best progress is made in those Troops where power and responsibility are really put into the hands of the Patrol Leaders. It is the secret of success with many Scoutmasters, when once they have half-a-dozen Patrol Leaders, really doing their work as if they were Assistant Scoutmasters. The Scoutmasters find themselves able to go on and increase the size of their Troops by starting new Patrols or adding recruits to existing ones....
Green Bar Bill Hillcourt’s oft repeated encouragement to “Train em’ trust em’ and let them lead” remains the simple formula for building and maintaining confidence in youth leadership. Hillcourt’s formula has three active components Train Training youth leaders need not be a protracted formal training event. Real-time, authentic and immediate on the job training (OJT) has proven to be an effective approach. OJT works best where there is an existing model of good youth leadership Absent this model it must be created by showing Scouts good youth leadership in action....