Back from 2nd WB Weekend

[ThunderingWind]

Back from the second weekend of WB. I enjoyed the time spent with my Patrol mates.

But I must admit that I was a little disappointed in the course. Several people in my council that are graduates,
were staffing the course, and whom I hold in high estem sold the course to be more than it turned out to be.

[FieldSports]

Curious TW, what was missing?

[lifescoutforlife]

What did they say that you felt wasn't there? Woodbadge was 1 of the greatest times I've ever had in scouting and I went to a course were I knew no one when I got there but now have about 50 new friends.

[ThunderingWind]

What I found lacking is an overall understanding of the adult education process. I am an adult learner that needs to have notes from the presentation along with copies of the slides. Several WB Courses put thier studnet books on-line with this stuff in it. I had an expectation that this course would have something similar.

Also, the tickets were never really explained to the group in a calm, clear and concise manner. The course needed to be slowed down a little and walk us through the items a little more in depth. This was more of an overview and not the pinnecle of Scouting that everyone makes it out to be.

I did learn a some things, but not what the course is designed to teach. Fun with a purpose but I think there was too much emphasis on the Fun and not the purpose.

[cballman]

A course or a class or even teaching a merit badge each person will come out with something different. When I went through a few years ago I was expecting a whole lot less then what I received. I met some people who whined and cried. I met people who stepped up and became great leaders. I met a lot of people and kept up with a lot of friendships that I have made through scouting. One of the main things that I remember is that Scouting has a purpose. What we as adults have to also understand is that through scouting each child will learn something no matter how we teach it. But when we have fun while learning then the kids learn more. I also learned that the patrol method does work when each person understands what is expected of them. Now if we have learned this as adults then we should be able to transfer some of this knowledge to our kids. After your post about not being able to joke around with other patrols and have any fun. I have a problem with that. How can we teach our kids when we are not allowed to have any fun or even joke around? Scouting to me is about the kids. My Woodbadge class taught me that even though I am a Mature Adult That we should have fun with the kids and learn with them also. The network of scouting friends that I have now is just plain awesome. This will be my kids third year on Summer Camp Staff. Wow they are taught to have fun, Razz other merit badge areas at the campfires and just plain have fun with a purpose. Now if we can teach that to our summer camp staff why cant we as adults learn that also.

[wagionvigil]

When they revised the course in 2000? I feel they dumbed it down (just my opinion).I also do not like weekend courses. If I am not mistaken the old course was three weekends not two which gave more time for instruction and Understanding. Up to the revised course there were two separate wood badge course. One for Boy Scout leaders and One for Cub Scout Trainers. One thing that made the Cub SCout course unique was it was Region Operated and the Staff was from all over the Region. ALso the Participants were from all over the Region.

[FieldSports]

TW,

Sorry to hear about your course not reaching expectations. A couple of things might help you. The staff is not suppose to release the material or post the slides on line. The BSA is afraid of the material being viewed by those who are not participating in the course. IMHO, that does miss a point of providing an opportunity to return to the material and use it later or refer to it when you need help.

The presentation on Vision is not the best. I have presented it. Not sure why it would not be presented "calmly" and it does not explain how you go from defining your vision to filling out your ticket. I have forwarded my comments to Region that the area needs to be revised.

BTW, the course is not designed to teach fun with a purpose per se. The course is designed to give you lessons (both in class and interactively) on how a group of diverse individuals can come together and accomplish great things.

Since you said you "enjoyed your time with your patrol mates", I am going to read into this. Let me know if I am far off. There was some minor (maybe even a major) conflicts at the beginning as you did not know each other. You formed some initial leadership and started to learn how to work together. You were then challenged with some tasks that lifted your groups unique identity. In the end, your patrol was functioning as part of an overall unit.

Now, assuming again that I am not far off base. Ask yourself these reflective questions.

Just how did this happen?
Can I make this happen at my unit?

If you can answer these, then you have learned what the course was designed to teach.

[ThunderingWind]

TW,

Sorry to hear about your course not reaching expectations. A couple of things might help you. The staff is not suppose to release the material or post the slides on line. The BSA is afraid of the material being viewed by those who are not participating in the course. IMHO, that does miss a point of providing an opportunity to return to the material and use it later or refer to it when you need help.

The presentation on Vision is not the best. I have presented it. Not sure why it would not be presented "calmly" and it does not explain how you go from defining your vision to filling out your ticket. I have forwarded my comments to Region that the area needs to be revised.

BTW, the course is not designed to teach fun with a purpose per se. The course is designed to give you lessons (both in class and interactively) on how a group of diverse individuals can come together and accomplish great things.

I can accept taht the information should not be made "public." But I would have liked to have had the slides and some notes given to me after the course or each sectiont o build me Student Book and then be a reference in my library.

Since you said you "enjoyed your time with your patrol mates", I am going to read into this. Let me know if I am far off. There was some minor (maybe even a major) conflicts at the beginning as you did not know each other. You formed some initial leadership and started to learn how to work together. You were then challenged with some tasks that lifted your groups unique identity. In the end, your patrol was functioning as part of an overall unit.

Now, assuming again that I am not far off base. Ask yourself these reflective questions.

Just how did this happen?
Can I make this happen at my unit?

If you can answer these, then you have learned what the course was designed to teach.

If fact quite the opposite, my Distric DE was in my patrol and one other person was from the District as well. however, i did nto know him. Our patrol never had a problem al all. We did our introductions, offered what we thought were our strengths and weakneses and wentt from there. At least one of us had skills in to take the lead in everything we did. I solved the most of the games on the field Day 5, I was lead in the rocket build on Day 2, our Eagle Scout taught us to cook on the second weekend (I am an MRE when camping guy - no cooking). Our DE took the lead in all things Varsity.

Where it went wrong was that I trusted the persons from my District that were the SM, SPL, TG and Staff Advisor for the course so much that I beleived what they were telling me about the course.

The one good postive for me was that there wereonly two of us Green-shirts (Venturing Crew Advisors) there. We got to sell the program and had a lot of experienced SMs asking how to make it work.

[wagionvigil]

I can accept taht the information should not be made "public." But I would have liked to have had the slides and some notes given to me after the course or each sectiont o build me Student Book and then be a reference in my library.

That is all well and good for you. You may keep them restricted but I have been around scouters enough to know that they would end up at Roundtable in some districts. Restricted is restricted. I was on a course once that the person had their ticket written when they got there plus they knew what was going to happen when etc. We caught wind of this and totally re arranged the course to really mess them up and those ore written tickets were all denied. How this happened? Some former staff member gave them the syllabus to read.

[scoutaholic]

...I can accept that the information should not be made "public." But I would have liked to have had the slides and some notes given to me after the course or each section to build my Student Book and then be a reference in my library.

In my course, the book they gave us at the beginning had a blank (with only a title) page for each section where we could 'take notes'.
They told us to avoid the distraction of note-taking, and that they would give us a more complete outline of the information covered at the end of each section. Thus, we didn't need to actually take any notes.
The info they passed out after each section was woefully inadequate, and basically just eliminated the value of anything in the notebook where I would have taken notes if they hadn't told me not to. I have no reference to refer back to about any details of what was taught.


I went to WB about the time that NYLT was being revised to match the same cirriculum (so youth leaders and adult leaders can work together from the same knowledge base). Shortly after my course I found the new NYLT sylubus in our local scout shop available unrestricted. I don't know if it is still available unrestricted, but it is similar enough to WB that the included CD and materials serve as good reminders of what I learned at WB.

[ThunderingWind]

You may keep them restricted but I have been around scouters enough to know that they would end up at Roundtable in some districts. Restricted is restricted.

Understood, but there has to be a balance between restricting the information and the needs of the adult learner.

I was on a course once that the person had their ticket written when they got there plus they knew what was going to happen when etc. We caught wind of this and totally re arranged the course to really mess them up and those ore written tickets were all denied. How this happened? Some former staff member gave them the syllabus to read.

Based on the open and frank discussions on this Forum about WB Tickets, I had an idea of what I wanted to have as my ticket items. I took notes with me to the course so I could be better prepared as all Scouts should be.

[wagionvigil]

This guy had it all spelled out exactly and written in a form he would have learned on COurse. This was also the Old Course.

[smtroop168]

And not only that....you can't poke fun at the Bear or Bob M. will get ya!

[wagionvigil]

Go ahead the Bear can take It But those Ankle Biters usually cannot

[ThunderingWind]

Go ahead the Bear can take It But those Ankle Biters usually cannot

Our response to all threats of being eaten by other critters was "May you choke to death on our bones if you do."

[wagionvigil]

Now you got it!

[FrankJ]

Our response to all threats of being eaten by other critters was "May you choke to death on our bones if you do."

That's not very scout like. Oh and I think I have something caught in my throat

[wagionvigil]

Those featers always get caught

[ThunderingWind]

Those featers always get caught

See, by the time you catch enough of us and then spend all the time to clean us, you mgiht have well jsut done gone to the Piggly Wiggle and bought you a whole chicken.

[ThunderingWind]

Our response to all threats of being eaten by other critters was "May you choke to death on our bones if you do."

That's not very scout like. Oh and I think I have something caught in my throat

When i fired that one back at my fellow Advisor who is a Fox, he about fell off his chair laughing so hard.