Using Merit Badge Pamplets

[wagionvigil]

Just interested to see if Scouts and Scouters do what they should do. Read or have the scouts read the MB Books

[evmori]

As a MB counselor, I don't feel I could adequately teach a merit badge without knowing what's in the book. Sorta like cooking without a pot.

[Chief J]

"They have Merit Badge Books?

Only teasing, I agree You need to read the book before taking or teaching the merit badge.

Best Regards,
Chief J

[scoutchallenge]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the boys would read the book. I will not work with a boy until i know that they have read the book.

[scoutaholic]

It depends on the MB and the book. Some of the books are so outdated that they don't really matter much. Some of them don't even cover the information needed to fulfill the requirements. Other are very good and cover the topic well.
I've seen a few instances where BSA changes the requirements, but doesn't bother to change the rest of the book. They continue to print books that cover unneeded information as well as failing to cover the information required.
As a MB Counselor, I will ofter refer to parts of the book, but in most cases I wouldn't agree to be the counselor if I didn't already know the subject.

[WVBeaver05]

Yes, before teaching a merit badge I read the book. When I was a Scout I don't think I ever took a merit badge without having and reading the book.

I have been out of touch for some year, but the merit badge books that I have reviewed seem to provide the information needed to guide a Scout through the merit badge. That is not to say that every section is up to date, or that everything that they need is in the booklet. But, they do have enough that the Scouts should understand the basics and know what they to follow up on with other sources.

Now I see a trend of Scouts printing off the worksheet and trying to fill in the blanks based on what they know. Or, worse yet, expecting the councelor to TELL them what they need to write. That's just not the way that I approach counceling. I guess I'm old fashioned, but I expect them to do learn the appropriate material/skills in order to complete the requirments as written. I'm there to help them as needed and guide them through.

YiS

[WVBeaver05]

One other point -- In most cases I have found that the Scouts can use a merit badge booklet that is out of date to get the material, provided they have the current requirements (like with the worksheets from MeritBadge.com or USSSP). They may have to look up a couple additional things that would be in the newest booklet, but they will get most of it and having to use some additional resources certainly won't hurt them.

As a councelor, I always prefer to have the latest book (when I can get it).

YiS

[616kayak]

you should read the book, but as a MBC you should already know all the info to teach the merit badge and be proficient in it.

[WVBeaver05]

you should read the book, but as a MBC you should already know all the info to teach the merit badge and be proficient in it.

I couldn't agree more. You must know the material. However, you still need to read the book to understand both what the Scout is going to see and how the material is presented.

[Lynda J]

Had a guy teach Enviro Science. He never gotthe book. Called me about the fact he was having trouble with figuring out the experiments.
I ask him why he didn't use the ones in the insturction book. He said
"You mean there is a book on this". I couldn't believe this.
I gave him my book. He finished the badge. My boys came back and said they didn't want to do another badge with him. They won't.

[Mad Dog]

As a MBC I always read the current version of the book so I can see how the material is being presented to the boys and what it includes.

My son always reads the books before starting on a new badge.

I attended a MB fair this weekend and noticed that most of the boys that I worked with only read enough of the book to complete the Pre Reqs. Once I started going over the material for the other requirements I received blank stares.

[wagionvigil]

My opinion that no MB counselor should even start a MB with a scout until the scout has read the MB book. ALso National BSA should make it the First requirement for All Merit Badges.
requirement 1. Read the MB Book

[FrankJ]

As a counselor I think it is important to have read to book to know the context of the questions & the degree of detail expected for the answers. I think in general it is reasonable to expect the scout to have read the book, but I can see exceptions if the scout is already knowlegable in the subject.

[ccjj]

Before I even was approved as a MBC, I went out and bought the books for the merit badges I plan on being a counselor for. As for my son, he is required (by me) to read the book before contacting a counselor. That way, he is sure he wants to do that particular merit badge at that time.

ccjj

[616kayak]

Its got to be a pain for a MBC if thy have a scout who doesn’t know the basics that they need to learn in order to learn the complex stuff.

I always make sure I have an understanding of the material. That doesn’t necessarily mean I read the book. If I already know enough about it then I wont.
For example, Public speaking. I did all the stuff in school and did it a at a merit badge college I never read the book because i spent 2 years working in speech and debate before taking the badge. Didn’t bother reading the book.

[JRTroop270]

im voting both ways because ive taken merit badges without reading the pamphlets and read some before i took them

[Lynda J]

The books for the badges I counsel are full of notes. I have research stapled inside the books. I take each badge and have a reference sheet that I type up and give the Scout. These are suggested sites they can visit. I don't require that they do just give them the info. So far everyone has visited the sites and has gotten a lot out of them.

Dang sure wouldn't want a teacher in school teaching my child that hadn't read the subject matter for the course. I should read the book on the subject I am teaching.

[maricopasem]

Dang sure wouldn't want a teacher in school teaching my child that hadn't read the subject matter for the course. I should read the book on the subject I am teaching.

But the Merit Badge book is neither the only nor the best place to find and learn the information. I have a close friend on our committee that counsels the Law MB. He's never read the MB book. Three years in a prestigious law school and ten years practicing law have more than qualified him to counsel the badge.

I have a young man coming to me to complete the Cit. in the Nation MB. He just completed an AP course in American History. Am I going to force him to do someone's suggestion?

requirement 1. Read the MB Book

Of course not. That would be ludicrous.

[Lynda J]

I am not saying that you force the boys to read the book. What I did say was that the counselor should read the book. It gives you some great ideas on things to do. I have been dealing with snakes, bugs and critters all my life. I counsel all of the " creepy crawly critter" badges. I have read each book on the badges. I have been an auto mechanic for almost 30 years. I counsel the badge. But I have also read the Auto Mechanics badge book. Never hurts to expand our learning level. For one thing if a boy calls me with a question about something in the badge book, I want to know the answer to what is said in the book..

[cballman]

Here goes if youdont read the book to teach. what do you do if a child comes to you and says that you are teaching something wrong because the way you are doing it is different than in the merit badge book? who is right the MBC because he is so smart he dont need to read or the child who has read and brought up the matter? the merit badge books are printed and designed with years and years experiance. so if someone dont need to read the book to teach because he is a lawyer then I dont want him to try to defend me only on what he remembers with no research. I dont totally disagree with any statement but then again i must also say that without reading the book you might get into the fact of do no more or no less than each requirments state. big difference on how you teach a child something.