Using Merit Badge Pamplets

[wagionvigil]

This has been quiet for a while But I think it should be brought back up. The question I asked still stands But why is reading the Pamphlet Not A requirement?

[Quailman]

One of our new (February) scouts came to me Monday and asked about the Fishing MB. I was proud to tell him to read the MB booklet. I told him not to worry if the one in our troop library was a little old - he already had a printout of the current requirements. So he'll get with me as soon as he's read it. I plan on always telling boys to read the booklets from now on.

I would not require it if for example I knew that a boy had been collecting coins for five years and could explain all the terms listed in the requirements without reading the booklet, but if I don't know the boy or it's a difficult subject, yes, I'll ask him to read it first. That having been said, it's not a requirement, so I won't quiz him on it other than to see that he can meet the requirements.

[ASM-142]

As a MBC when a scout comes to me with a question about a MB requirement the first thing I ask him is if he looked in the MB booklet. I will not teach a scout something that is clearly documented and easily found.

[milominderbinder2]

I agree.

It is amazing how often the answer is: "Have you read your book?"

- Craig

[owl scouter]

So why do we have merit badge books in the first place? Actually, the first merit badge pamphlet was printed in 1918. Before that the scout and adults had to research the subject and decide what it took to qualify for the badge. The books did to things. Helped the scout with a good source of information on the subject, and second helped the adult get a feel on what needed to be covered.
I teach for a living and I see some of my fellow instructors that know their subject too well try and make everyone a PHD on the subject. I do not like it when scouts do too little work and do not read the book, but I also do not like it when too much is asked for.
So thanks for the merit badge pamplhets BSA. There was a very sharpe rise in merit badges earned and thus rank earned when the books first came out in 1918 through 1925. The are important to teach the scouts and the adults so let's use them.
John

[milominderbinder2]

I like that story of the first merit badge pamphlets. I don't know if it is true but there is a story that there was a group in Scouting who did not want to published the books because it would make it too easy to earn the merit badges!

Change BAD!

So the compromise was that they would publish "pamphlets" instead of "books."

Still, the pamphlets are a wonderful resource. As a counselor, I have always learned a lot myself in reading the merit badge pamphlets. They are a great and inexpensive resource.

If a troop keeps a current library, it is so cheap. Charge $2 from the boy's account to check out a book. Credit $1 when it is returned. Use the $1 it really cost to constantly be updating and expanding your library.

But with the excuse of saving the dollar, troops cheat...the boys.

- Craig

[pipestone1991]

If a troop keeps a current library, it is so cheap. Charge $2 from the boy's account to check out a book. Credit $1 when it is returned. Use the $1 it really cost to constantly be updating and expanding your library.



- Craig

That's charging a lot. A scout can always go out and get his own for $4.

[owl scouter]

Another way to get a little more out of a troops or scouts merit badge books is to go to http://www.usscouts.org/mb/mbbooks.asp
Great source for the most current requirements for merit badges. As it says on the site, there is no place to get the actual text in a merit badge book. That is the copywrite of BSA.
This is also a great place to find out if there are errors in the books, and like someone already said, you can find them. In fact this might be a good place to pass on any errors you find.

John

[scouter01]

In my book, librarys provide free stuff. that sounds really bad to charge scouts to use stuff


on another subject, the books should be available online for fre or for cost