Scoutmastercg.com

We aren’t working to control the conduct of young people. We have a greater challenge; to form their character as defined in the Scout oath and law. Are the Scouting ideals in the Scout oath and law a code of conduct? Is it an ideology? Is it a religious text? No, it is none of these things. […]

A Scoutmaster is not… … the boss of a company and youth leadership are not employees we discipline or hire and fire. A Scoutmaster is not a commanding officer and Scouts are not soldiers who can be disciplined for “conduct unbecoming” a Scout, so let’s get that foolish idea out of our heads as well. In this podcast […]

There’s always more questions about merit badges… … then I have useful answers because the vast majority of problems with merit badges are structural rather than procedural. But I hate missing an opportunity for a good, old fashioned rant. Listen in while I climb on my soapbox and opine about what I think the problem […]

If things aren’t moving along the problem may be obvious… .. like our understanding of the relationship between the program, advancement, and positions of responsibility. The Scouting program is there, ready to go, but it can’t go on it’s own can it? It’s all words in books, it does not have muscles or lungs, or a […]

Thank you for your patience and support… … over the past several weeks I’ve been away. I’ll explain the situation in the introduction to this week’s podcast. In addition I’ll spend some time addressing two major questions raised by a recent email question, can Scouters discipline Scouts for incidents outside of Scouting? Can Scouters hold Scouts […]

My son was frustrated, decided to change troops, and was elected senior patrol leader in his new troop. The Scoutmaster is a man of good intentions but with a commanding presence. Over time he has taken to leading himself because it’s easier and less messy. The Scouts in this troop would like to have more say, and implement the patrol method […]

I hope you had a great summer… The picture for this week’s podcast is one of my favorite campsites on Proulx lake in Ontario Canada’s Algonquin Provincial Park. We took twenty people in three crews this year and had a great time. I am glad to be back, and this week I’ll answer some of the email […]

In an often pessimistic world Scouting’s future is inherently optimistic. Scouting is greater than a hedge against the perilous future, or a return to a storied past. We typically associate the future with technological advances. While technology will have a big role in shaping our future there are, perhaps, greater factors to consider. Scouting is a transformative journey following a guiding […]

Scout camp is a privilege, an opportunity, and an obligation. We get just so many great good places in life, and one of my favorites is our Scout camp. The history, names, stories and traditions are specific to our camp, but they share common threads with every Scout camp. This week I’ll share some snapshots of a […]

Scouting is something Scouts do for themselves … … rather than a program of activities presented for them. This week I’ll discuss the way Scouts should be engaged in leading one another, in making decisions affecting what they do and how it is done. Our ideal responsive leadership role as a barely perceptible influence empowering […]

21 boys boarded a boat in Poole Harbor… … they had no way of knowing they were pioneering a movement for millions of young people around the world. Several lived well into old age to vividly recount their experiences decades later.   Scouting’s pathways are now worn by travel, but each new Scout today has a “Brownsea […]

Scouting needs gardeners more than managers or officers. Scouting isn’t the science of management or military discipline, it’s much more like a garden. Gardeners prepare the ground, plant the seed, keep the weeds away, make sure there is plenty of water and sunshine and step back.  Scouting is just like that. We know our Scouts need […]

Are Scoutmaster’s Conferences a retest? Can assistant Scoutmasters do them? This week we’ll catch up on listener email by answering these questions and more. When it comes to Scoutmaster conferences they are explained unambiguously in teh Guide to Advancement, so none of this is a matter of opinion or a difference in style, it is very clearly delineated […]

No 11-year-old boy joins Scouting to get his character developed… … and few boys join to attend troop meetings, wear the Scout uniform, or sit before boards of review. Instead, they sign up for fun and adventure. Last month Walter Underwood joined me on podcast 313  to review the first volume of the Troop Leader Guidebook.  We got […]

What is the ninth method of Scouting? Author Mark Ray begins the second volume of the Troop Leader Guidebook with these words; Back when you first attended Scout leader training, you learned that Boy Scouting has eight methods: adult association, advancement, ideals, leadership development, outdoors, patrol method, personal growth, and uniform. Now that you’re a seasoned leader, however, you realize […]