Meeting Plans - Part 2, changing it up a bit?

[ICanCanoeCanU]

From my original question

With the new influx of adult leadership in our troop. The new SM is insisting on using the document "Troop Meeting Plan" each and every week. With the exception of the new boys that came in with these new adults, the previous boys in the troop are so bored with this routine. The new SM insists on having the "Skills Instruction" be for the new boys to learn early rank requirements which usually caries over into the "Patrol Meeting" portion. The "Interpatrol Activity" is always dodgeball as this is the only thing still keeping the oldest crew involved in coming to meetings. I've tried relentlessly to remind the SM that the SPL should be planning the meetings and they do not need to follow this document to the T each week. He disagrees and says that's what he learned in training and the new boys need the focus.

How do I convince the new adults to change this format sometimes and mix the troop more into troopwide activities. With the constant concentration being on the new scouts, the older scoust are being left behind and losing interest. The new SM says he's more interested in focusing on the new scouts as they will be taking over in a year or two and wants them to be ready? I'm giving up - HELP?
btw - this SM is brand new to Boys Scouts having crossed in from Cubs.

[commish3]

I think you are seeing why the BSA program is designed for 3 distinct patrol groupings. By having New Scout Patrols, regular Patrols, and Venture Patrols, you can effectively have three different programs taking place simultaneously, with each program level aimed at the specific program needs of each group.

This way the patrols stay together as cohesive patrols while they participate and can come together as a troop during the Opening and Closing segments, and the Inter-patrol game.

I agree with your scoutmaster that there should be a written plan for every meeting and event. This is how scouts learn to plan. And the troop meeting planner is a good agenda to follow, but the agenda should be filled in by the PLC. Once the Scouts become familiar with the Troop Program Features and Troop Program Resources books they will find that a month of meetings can be done in about 20 or 30 minutes. Variety comes not in altering the structure of the agenda but by the different activities they choose to fill the agenda.

If the trainers stuck to the syllabus at SM Leader Specific Training this is exactly what the SM was taught.

[RWSmith]

Again, this SM (and his PLC) is a perfect candidate for the Troop Program Features... It's a great guide for the PLC to start with. Once they get a little experienced, they can modifiy the program as they see fit.

Troop Program Features
Boys' Life and Scouting Magazines: Your Program Assistants

Besides offering their readers entertaining, well-written fare, Boys' Life and Scouting magazines support the nationally suggested Boy Scout troop program features. In each monthly issue, Boys' Life provides ideas and inspiration to boy readers about how they can enjoy the BSA-suggested program for the following month. Scouting magazine provides adult leaders similar tools to strengthen the BSA program with special articles of packs and troops that have used the monthly program feature successfully.

In addition, five of the six issues of Scouting magazine that are sent to Boy Scout unit leaders and commissioners each year contain a total of 12 segments called "Troop Program Features." The 12 program features are selected from the contents of the three volumes of Troop Program Features (Supply Nos. 33110, 33111, and 33112), each of which contains a year's worth of monthly programs, including meeting outlines and a schedule for a suggested monthly outing or activity.

Schedule for 2004-2005 Troop Program Feature supplements to be bound into issues of Scouting magazine:
Issue of Scouting Program Feature Suggested month for program

March-April 2004 Leadership May 2004
-- Special Cooking June 2004
-- Backpacking July 2004
-- Aquatics August 2004

May-June 2004 Introduction and Fishing September 2004
-- Athletics October 2004

September 2004 Science November 2004
-- Cooking December 2004

Nov-Dec 2004 Wilderness Survival January 2005
-- Citizenship February 2005

Jan-Feb 2005 Pioneering March 2005
-- Environment April 2005

March-April 2005 Orienteering May 2005
-- Mechanics June 2005
-- Hiking July 2005
-- Shooting August 2005

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Yes, thanks and I agree with what your saying. I've also pointed this stuff out to the SM but he wants to only concentrate on what the actual requirements are in the book. Teaching for 20 minutes like a Webelos Den, then moving on to dodge ball. I'm trying to tell him that the new boys can also learn from troopwide activities like spending 40 minutes and have team competitions to accomplish something. Yes, the patrols could be split and mingled in so each team has even ground with experience and this way the new boys can meet and bond more with the older boys. The older boys can use some of their leadership skills to get the younger scouts learning and participating. Hands on.
Example - going outside and digging a tunnel through the snow piles that the plows have so nicely built by using teams to compete getting to the other side. Or pioneering creations with teams. But he says that doesn't teach them any of the requirements from the book. I just think that each week can vary a tad. If we have a quest speaker, he wants it to fit into just a 20 minute slot from the meeting plan.
I just want to know if most troops use the Troop Meeting Plans as an absolute, each and every week?

oh btw - as for the older boys, his message to them is - have fun, do whatever you want while we're busy with the new scouts. A few of us are trying to work with the older boys but it's tough with only 20 minutes and knowing them all so well, they want to take this time to complain about the new year. I'm trying to re-direct their energy.