Counselor Training

[ThunderingWind]

I have noticed that some Councils offer MBC training on a weekend or at a Pow Wow or Scouting University.

Any change of getting this training put on-line by National?

[wagionvigil]

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/train ... guide.aspx

This is the training outline

[ThunderingWind]

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/trainingmodules/merit%20badge%20counselor%20instructors%20guide.aspx

This is the training outline

But I can not take the course on-line, take the test on-line and get my certificate on-line. It should be part of MyScouting E-Learning.

I will however, download and read the material.

[smtroop168]

There is no "official course", hence no test or certificate to be given

[ThunderingWind]

There is no "official course", hence no test or certificate to be given

So what are the Council or Districts offering? And some have even inferred it is required when offered if one has not taken it before.

Does your Council/District offer such a course at the Pow Wow or University of Scouting?

[Fibonacci]

Does your Council/District offer such a course at the Pow Wow or University of Scouting?

Chief Seattle Council: Program and Training Conference October 18, 2008
(Four 1 1/4 hour sessions offered in one training day)
Session #32. Merit Badge Counselors
"Learn where to find and recruit Merit Badge counselors. As a counselor, discover how to make the merit badge earning process a valuable experience for the Scout."

MB Counselor registration form used by Chief Seattle: http://www.seattlebsa.org/sbsa_voluntee ... orForm.pdf

There was a brief discussion about being a merit badge counselor during Roundtable two or three years ago. I don't know of other training. (If it exists, it isn't publicized.)

[smtroop168]

From the National Web site: MBC training falls under Supplemental Training:

Supplemental training modules are designed to provide orientation beyond the basic training offered in New Leader Essentials and leader-specific training. Each module is a unit of training that can be used as an outline for a group, for personal coaching, or for self-study. Most of the outlines should require about an hour to complete. Consider each unit of study to be an introduction to the subject. Scouters are welcome to download subjects that are of interest for personal or unit use. There are no training credits associated with the completion of these units of study. Additional training units are being developed and will be continually added to this site.

[ThunderingWind]

Thank you.

I am just one those that feel there should be a certificate to show that at least I took the class and passed the test.

I see nothing wrong with making sure an MBC had the YP and the basic course so show they understand how the MB program
is supposed to run.

It is obvious from the many postings on this forum that there are MBC who take it upon themselve to make the program what they feel
it should be, add requirements, ignore requirements, or interpret them in a totally different way than intended.

So I guess I could submit a request to National and ask that the course be made a requirement and if it is great, if not, OK. At least I would have tried.

[wagionvigil]

Most of those that change the rules are People that have been trained like SM and ASM. Not the local person that is just doing say Surveying MB etc. Those that are doing wrong know better. They just think rules do not apply to them.

[ThunderingWind]

Most of those that change the rules are People that have been trained like SM and ASM. Not the local person that is just doing say Surveying MB etc. Those that are doing wrong know better. They just think rules do not apply to them.

I agree with there also. It also happens with the Committee and COR.

This was just an observation and me asking the question "Why do we do it this way?" Even if it is done for a good reason, sometimes the newer people need to have the reason explained. This is how we learn.

[Cowboy]

Our Troop is currently developing a "course" to be offered at our MB Clinic. It is for MB Counciling Orientation. As our clinic happens within 3 weeks of cross over, we are idealy suited to do this. Our plan is to present the information in the National module, present the YPT and then get people to register as an adult leader and hopefully sign up as a councilor. If we can hook the new folks right away, they will be active earlier.

[Quailman]

I've been to MBC Orientation, twice (at a Univ. of Scouting day the following year all other relevant courses were full). There's not a whole lot of substance that isn't in the training guide. The difference is that people who go are assured of having heard the substance, whereas people who review the guide or are simply handed it may miss the salient points.

Two people from my troop went to our district training Saturday. They both said the MBC was too long. "No more, no less", YPT, What to do when requirements change, instruct in groups but test individually, and "a card laid is a card played."

I am e-mailing the CC (one of the attendees) the link to the national Council's Instructors Guide so he can understand that it is permissable for a MBC to counsel his own son. He told me at last night's meeting that it was only allowed in a group setting.

[cballman]

I have always have said that you can counsel you own son. But on some merit badges there are people who like to stir up trouble and complain that you gave your son the badge. I always taught my own son but I would let him have another counsler sign off after he showed them his work and talked to them. Just to keep a little trouble from starting. Thats why I believe in explaining to the boys what I expect of them in the merit badge, not just writing down something on the worksheets and then thats fine---ITS NOT. Thats why I only counsel the easy Eagle required badges. Swimming and Lifesaving. The other ones are just so hard for me to teach the kids. I also think that the worksheets are a nice way to keep the work together and fairly neat.

[Cowboy]

I council my own son both in group and out of group. Examples: I have a wood working shop, auto shop and welding shop. I am a former contractor and a long time business owner. I am (over) qualified for many MB's and I am registered for them. I will not tell my son to look for soemone else if he wants to take one of "my" MB's. I do make extra requiremenst for him though. For example, when he took woodworking I required that not only did he do his project, but he had to take both the plans and the finished project in to show our SM. Adding to? Yes, but I did that as his father and it also served to belay any questions of whether he did it or not. I do have a problem with those parents who register to council every MB that their soon starts and then signs eveything off 6 months later.

[AquilaNegra2]

Since #1 is trying to earn every page, we decided early on that I would not be his MBC unless I was also counseling other Scouts during the same time period. We wanted to avoid the appearance of the badges not truly being earned. No, I don't think that just because a parent counsels the badge, it's not earned. I do, however, think eyebrows would rightfully be raised if he finished 121 badges, and I'd counseled 100 of them.

Nothing wrong with having your child do extra -- so long as the "extra" is not actually part of the badge, but extra work you're asking him to do as his parent. Mine can pretty well count on the extra work when they use me as the MBC .

[Quailman]

That's the rationale given by the instructors when I took the class - that the MBC is (almost always) going to make his own son work harder to earn the badge than he will for an unrelated scout. I don't counsel any ERMBs, only electives in subjects in which I have a high level of interest. It's natural that I want my sons to share that interest with me, so I expose them to more than the MB booklet provides.

[kwildman]

As an senior environmental scientist I am a MBC for environmental science and i also do camping, hiking. I make my sons work at least twice as hard as any other scout and i keep documentation of all the requirments including photos of projects, etc. so that i can not be accused of any gifts. My second son figured it is easier to get those MBs at summer camp.

[Cowboy]

A follow up to my earlier post. I conducted the MBC Orientation last month as a "dry run" with 8 new counselors for our upcoming MB Clinic. It went well. A lot of good questions. Because of the training, we now have 5 new counselors for our Troop/District. They had never even considered helping out until I talked them into it. (Pats own back) However, the real test will be in two weeks at our Mega MB Clinic. This year we are offering 23 MB's. I too feel that there should be something sanctioned and developed by BSA regarding training. Let's face it: Swimming really plays (depending on the boy and Troop) a very small part in Scouting. But there is required and elective training for that. Why do we have something that is such a vital (and required) part of advancement with nothing more than a few scattered "Here ya go, now do it" mentions.

[smtroop168]

Cowboy...do you have a flyer or info on your Mega MB clinic. I run one here in PA and always like to see other approaches. You can email it to me or if it is on a web site, post the link here.