Scoutmaster Conference Review

[wagionvigil]

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mrw]

One question Waigo.

If the requirement for the SMC states that you are supposed to complete all the requirements for the badge before the SMC, AND the SM is not willing to sign for scout spirit, THEN why would he sign for the SMC as all the other requirements have not been completed?

I am not trying to fan flames here, but I am not sure I follow your reasonong.

[wagionvigil]

The SMC is not what fails the scout . A scout cannot fail a SMC it is strictly participate in that is all we are trying to get across. You cannot refuse to sign it off if you have it. Just don't have it until the scout is ready.
And it is wagion(thunderbird) in lenni lenape I realize it is a confusing word many see it as I mispelled wagon

[Mrw]

Sorry, I mis-typed it. If I got paid strictly for my typing skills, I would be unemployed!

Thanks for the clarification.

[WeeWillie]

The only reasons I could envision not signing off for a SMC is Scout Spirit and Active Participantion. If the SM is doing his or her job, then both situations should have been addressed in earlier SM, Scout, Parent meetings. To suddenly anounce to a scout at the SMC that he is not advancing is not very good leadership unless something unexpected suddenly happenned. Fighting in school, malicious behavior, cheating

[JazerNorth]

If I have signed off everything (including scout spirit) but the SM Conference, then I would still sign off the scout. During the conference I would let the scout know that his behavior and scout spirit were not very good. Then I would pass along information to the board of review. Here is where he can be challenged on his scout spirit, but still be advanced. I don't think a boy should be punished in the board of review, but should be instructed and guided. On his next rank, he can be instructed on good scout behavior and such.

2centsworth

JazerNorth

[evmori]

The only reasons I could envision not signing off for a SMC is Scout Spirit and Active Participantion. If the SM is doing his or her job, then both situations should have been addressed in earlier SM, Scout, Parent meetings. To suddenly anounce to a scout at the SMC that he is not advancing is not very good leadership unless something unexpected suddenly happenned. Fighting in school, malicious behavior, cheating

Scout Spirit & participation has nothing to do with a Scoutmaster Conference. Those are separate requirements & if a Scout doesn't meet those requirements they don't get signed off.

[ASM-142]

There is no single requirement for participation even though some ranks have specific requirements (eg 10 activities). A troop can not make up their own participation requirements.

[Lynda J]

As an ASM, Unit Commissioner, and member of the District Advancement Committee, if I had a boy contact me with this situtation then I would be looking directly at the SM to see where the problem is.
Though this is a BOY RUN program it is the SM's responsibility to guide and steer the boys in planning a quality program.
THis means that the SM makes sure that. through the PLC, the program covers advancement requirements. That each boy has the chance to take on responsibilities that help him advance. If he sees a boy not advancing the SM DOES NOT WAIT UNTIL THE SMC to figure out what the problem is, he gets to the bottom of the problem as soon as he is aware of it.
Maybe we are doing it wrong but our SM (great leader) has many many times had one of the ASM's do SMC and sign them off. Maybe he trust us enough and feels that he has a strong enough group of ASM's that he doesn't have to control every detail. We also check with our boys regularly to make sure they are not needing any extra help. We don't wait until the boy is going to his SMC to tell him "sorry you aren't doing well enough for me to sign off and allow you to advance" To me that is just like telling this boy that you aren't important to me. And that SM does not need to be a leader.

[WeeWillie]

During the previous week's campout / orienteering course two Scouts hide the way point markers. Two boys get misoriented. Several hours are lost. Three boys don't complete 1st Class Orienteering because it is to late to re-organize the event. The Scoutmaster just signs off SMC and Scout Spirit?

As leaders we should be emphasizing the positive, but occasionally there must be consequences for bad behavior. If there aren't, we send a bad message to both the offenders, and the rest of the troop.

[evmori]

During the previous week's campout / orienteering course two Scouts hide the way point markers. Two boys get misoriented. Several hours are lost. Three boys don't complete 1st Class Orienteering because it is to late to re-organize the event. The Scoutmaster just signs off SMC and Scout Spirit?

As leaders we should be emphasizing the positive, but occasionally there must be consequences for bad behavior. If there aren't, we send a bad message to both the offenders, and the rest of the troop.

If the Scoutmaster holds a SMC with the Scouts, yes, the SMC should be signed off. Signing off on Scout Spirit & a SMC are two different requirements

[Mrw]

I would think the SM would talk to the boys and let them know their behaviour was unacceptable and that they needed to show improvement before he would be able to sign for Scout Spirit and be done with it. I would not even call that a SMC, more of a disciplinary discussion!

If he knew who did it, he should have had that talk at the camp.

[ASM-142]

The SMC for signoff can be after all the other requirements have been signed. If scout spirit is not signed the the SM is not obligated to sign SMC at this time.

[JazerNorth]

You know, I don't sign of scout spirit until the SM conference. This way, I can ask him about his experience, etc. If there is an issue, I work with him on it so that he knows why I am not signing off on the Scout Spirit. Yes, I still sign of on the SM conference, cause we had it. The arguments here keep saying to not sign off on the SM conference, well you should when you have it regardless of behavior, etc. What you can hold onto is the scout spirit. This can be the last thing signed before the board of review. I just sign it off at the SM conference.

Enjoy,

JazerNorth

[ASM-142]

Prior to reading some of the previous posts I would agree that the SMC should be signed off at this point and not Scout Spirit. However, based on this quote

The Scoutmaster conference is a visit between the Scoutmaster and a Scout that is held each time the boy completes the requirments for a rank.

The SMC is not held until all other requirements are completed - which should include Scout Spirit.

[outfoxed86]

Though this is a BOY RUN program it is the SM's responsibility to guide and steer the boys in planning a quality program.
THis means that the SM makes sure that. through the PLC, the program covers advancement requirements. That each boy has the chance to take on responsibilities that help him advance. If he sees a boy not advancing the SM DOES NOT WAIT UNTIL THE SMC to figure out what the problem is, he gets to the bottom of the problem as soon as he is aware of it.

Lynda J
Thank you for this wonderful Statement I agree with it 100% I want to try and clarify what I been trying to say. I as scoutmaster see a problem with a scout no matter what it is (Behavior, advanncement , what ever) I should be talking to him about it.Thats a SMC in my eyes.If he hasn't finnished all his requirements then I dont sign it off. We will have anther SMC. Maybe a few more to see how he is progressing. To me anytime I sit with a scout and dicuss his role in the troop or just the troop its a SMC.
So I guess its just the wording for me .
wayne

[wagionvigil]

At one time there was a movie and in that movie one of the big lines was
"What we have here is a failure to communicate!" On the forum I am sorry to say at times we do have a failure to communicate. And when we are working with youth that can be a bad thing. If a scout is lacking in Scout Spirit etc I would just say joe we will have your SMC when you have corrected the problem and explain what that problem is.

[outfoxed86]

thats a good point wagionvigil
I guess old habits are hard to break huh. I'll try your sugestion
Wayne

[evmori]

Good point wagon & great movie, BTW!

I don't think the problem is communication. The problem seems to be understanding.

[ASM-142]

It is a combination of communication and understanding. If I knew that outfoxed86 considered every meeting with a scout as the SMC then there would of been less discussion back and forth.