Changes to merit badge worksheets/workbooks

[cballman]

Like was said earlier. The worksheets are not required and we cannot make them use them. BUT I just wish I had all the resourses that the kids have today back when I was a scout in the 70s. I do think that the worksheets are a awesome item and I would have earned a few more merit badges than I did. But times have changed and we have to change with them. So what I think we need to do is look at how we would do if we were the student and not the teacher. We are here to help young men grow and to help them learn new and exciting things. I will relate an experiance with a former scout of mine. What this young man did was learn that he liked to help others and used what he learned in scouting to become a EMT. Now I am not bragging on my son to much BUT.

[smtroop168]

We could go back to when a BOR was required for each MB after you passed the MBC's examination.

[scoutaholic]

You are free to use or not use the workbooks as you feel appropriate for the group/scout. Personalizing it for your teaching style and the dynamic of the group/scout is also appropriate. Your troop AC has no business telling you that you can/can't alter the worksheets. If you wish to include information for a suggested experiment, there should be no problem with that, as long as you don't require them to use that experiment. (They can always choose to do a different on on their own time.)

I teach several MBs, most in a group setting. (For some, it is even a paid position.) I have rarely, if ever, taught a class using the worksheets as they come.

Some sample changes I have made to Citizenship in the Community worksheet:
Header changes to include a place for the scouts name, my contact info, and date(s) of later class sessions.
A note detailing which requirements will be covered in class, and which are to be done as 'homework'.
#2a - a map of the local area is included in the packet so they can mark the landmarks
#2b - a list of government officials is included so they can indicate which branch of government they are in, and if they are elected/appointed.
#3a - I include a list of several local meeting dates/times. (My classes usually include boys from several neighboring communities, so I include several in the list.)
#5 - A list of suggested movies that would be good options for this requirement
#3b, 4, 5, 7, & 8 - brief notes detailing expectations for their 'homework' and what to include as they report back what they have done.


When I teach Communications MB with a group, I have selected some of the optional requirements that can be done in a group setting. I removed the other options from my modified worksheet to save paper space. (If a boy really wants to do the other options, they can download the unmodified worksheet themselves.)


One of the requirements for Citizenship in the World is to do 2 of 3 options. Two can be easily done in a group setting, and the other would be something the boy would have to do on his own outside of the group setting. I have never had a boy opt for the additional homework rather than participate in the group discussions.

[kc9901mom]

I want to say thanks for all the participation on this topic. My family and I decided to transfer Troops. I also found out why I have not counseled Scouts from other Units. Apparently, I (or someone else) indicated on my Merit Badge Counselor Application that I wished to only work with one Unit. I don't recall making that selection but I could have.

I am kind of "offline" as a Merit Badge Counselor for the moment because our new Troop is out of Adult applications.

I reported the actions of the AC of the other Troop to the District AC (who also happens to be the Unit Commissioner). The AC crossed the line when the AC started "dictating" what requirements I could and could not teach at the upcoming MB College and what requirements I could and could not list as prerequisites. I'm a nice person but I'm not a door mat.

For the moment, I am channeling my energy into adding Requirement Resource links for the "Science" Merit Badges on meritbadge.org. I am also assisting Paul Wolf in revising the workbooks.

[Nuts4Scouts]

I am kind of "offline" as a Merit Badge Counselor for the moment because our new Troop is out of Adult applications.

You do NOT have to re-register as a Merit Badge Counselor every time you change Troops. A Merit Badge Counselor is NOT registered thru a Troop. A Merit Badge Counselor is registered thru their council. The Troop you are a member of has nothing to do with it at all.

If you wish to change your Counselor status from "Troop only" to "everyone", I suggest calling your council service center and talking with the registrar, or the person there in charge of the Merit Badge Counselor database/list. They might be able to change their database immediately, or they might ask you to fill out a new Merit Badge Counselor form -

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34405.pdf

Checking off the box at the bottom that states that you want to work with all units.

I reported the actions of the AC of the other Troop to the District AC (who also happens to be the Unit Commissioner). The AC crossed the line when the AC started "dictating" what requirements I could and could not teach at the upcoming MB College and what requirements I could and could not list as prerequisites. I'm a nice person but I'm not a door mat.

IS this a Troop MB College, or a District MB College? As stated before a Troop AC has absolutely no say at all over how a Merit Badge Counselor teaches their merit badges, and even less than no say (if that is possible) over a District event.

Also, a District AC has no say so at all in what a Troop AC does, or does not, do. A Troop AC is strictly a UNIT position. Selected, and registered by/thru the Troop, and approved by the Troop's Charter Organization. The Charter Org, thru it's COR, is the only one that can discipline, or "fire" a unit volunteer. The only time anyone from your council would intervene with a unit volunteer would be if it were a Youth Protection issue and then it would be to remove their BSA National membership entirely.

[kc9901mom]

Thank you for the information. I went to the District AC with some questions I had and because the Troop's AC told me to ask the District AC because she "was through with me". So I did. I have elected to not go to the COR because the SM and AC are good friends with the COR. It is this Troop's loss and another Troop's gain.

Both of my boys are much happier with their new Troop.

Thank you again for the info. I will call the service center.

[Nuts4Scouts]

Both of my boys are much happier with their new Troop.

Good for them! That is what truly counts.

[lambeausam]

Both of my boys are much happier with their new Troop.

And that my friends, is the most important statement! Sorry you had to go through such garbage, but it sounds like you have a silver lining to the dark cloud.

My sons have a variety of learning disabilities, including some related to memory retention. They have found the worksheets extremely helpful to make notes for the "discussion" requirements. I am thankful for the folks that have provided them. One technique they use is to load the worksheet on their computer and delete any of the options they are not selecting. It sure saves paper!

[FrankJ]

In regards to merit badge clinics or universities..... It is true that the MBC has the final say in signing off the requirements. But who ever is sponsoring the clinic has the responsibility to pick qualified MBC. Due diligence should be more than are you registered with the council & is your YPT current.

[PaulSWolf]

Based on comments made here, working together with RWSmith, I've spent most of the last month reworking all 128 of the merit badge workbooks. The new workbooks are now uploaded to usscouts.org, and copies will be placed here on meritbadge.org shortly. The links from the table of meritbadge workbooks on http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Me ... Worksheets point to the new workbooks.

I'll make similar changes to the other (Rank, Cub Scout Sports & Academics Belt Loop and Pin, and Webelos Activity Pin) workbooks as I get the time.

[WVBeaver05]

In regards to merit badge clinics or universities..... It is true that the MBC has the final say in signing off the requirements. But who ever is sponsoring the clinic has the responsibility to pick qualified MBC. Due diligence should be more than are you registered with the council & is your YPT current.

MB Clinics/Colleges/Universities all have a very bad reputation - and in some cases it is deserved. I've seen them "award" completions that were not possible. But they can be run along the lines of actual MBs.

Here is part of letter that one of our coordinators sent to all Councelors for a recent MBC:

There is more to Merit Badges than simply providing opportunities to learn skills. There is more to them than just providing an introduction to lifetime hobbies, or the inspiration to provide a career. It gives the Scout the confidence achieved through overcoming obstacles. Social skills improve and self-reliance develops. Fields of study are developed and interest explored beyond the limits of the school classroom. Each Merit Badge has requirements that have been well developed and needs to be done exactly by each individual Scout as National intended to meet these goals.
In that regard, pre-requisites are set for each Merit Badge Class. There must be attention to each individual’s projects and his fulfillment of all requirements. We, as counselors, must know that every Scout-actually and personally-completed them. As a Merit Badge Counselor, your mission is to join fun with learning. You are both a teacher and mentor to the Scout as he works on a Merit Badge and learns by doing. By presenting opportunities for growth via engaging activities like designing a Web page (Computers), performing an ollie and a wheelie (Snowboarding), or fabricating rope (Pioneering), you can pique a young man's interest in the Merit Badge subject. Just think: Your hands-on involvement could inspire a Scout to develop a lifelong hobby, pursue a particular career, or become an independent, self-supporting adult.
Interactive group discussions can support learning. Slide shows, skits, demonstrations, panels, and various other techniques can also be used, but does not relieve the requirement that the Scout must fulfill actually and personally. If, for example, a requirement uses words like “show”, “demonstrate” or “discuss” then every Scout must be prepared do those. In this way we ensure that the Scout knows the subject matter, “testing” has been done in group settings and the goals of the Merit Badge have been achieved.
National Boy Scouts of America states “Because of the importance of individual attention in the Merit Badge plan, group instruction should be limited to those scenarios where the benefits are compelling.” ....
If you would like more information about Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselors, you may access National Boy Scouts of America at the following site.
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Boy ... Guide.aspx

I was there and had Scouts attending. I was teaching Aduilt Leader training so I wasn't in any MB group. However, it was better - still not perfect, but clearly better.

YiS