CS02

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CS02 Wide World of Webelos

• Mike Farnsworth

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About Me

• Active leader in both Boy Scouting and Cub
  Scouting since 1996
• 4 Years of Webelo Den Leader Experience
• Currently the Scoutmaster for Troop 202
• I have held most positions Cub Scouting and Boy
  Scouting at the Pack and Troop level

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How Do You Teach Webelos

• Provide a goal and a reward
• Activity Badge is the goal
• Exercise is the reward
• Outside
• Tag, Basketball, Touch Football, Soccer, Nerf
  Dodge Ball
• Inside
• Steal the bacon, Nerf Crab Soccer, Silent Tag,
  Board Game Night.
• Any Fun and Easy
• Let the Webelos decide

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• If they do not buckle down and complete the goal
  then do not give them the reward. You must tell
  them why. They will learn fast!
• If you are a pushover, they will!
• You have about 20 minutes of attention span for
  1st year Webelos, 30 minutes for second year.
• Plan Wisely

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• Never try to teach your own kid! Push them off on
  another parent or leader as they will do better
  than you.
• Webelos are in the process of changing their
  learning behavior.
• Young kids learn by trying by without applying
  reason. This is why they do so well with
  computers and computer games. A failure to a
  young child is just something normal and they
  will consistently try again and again.
• Older people apply reason and expect an outcome.
  Older people become frustrated if the outcome
  does not meet their expectations and will give up
  stating that it does not work.

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• Young kids do not have the outcome expectation
  and will just instinctively try again in a
  different way.
• Your Webelos will be flip flopping between these
  techinques.
• Snack as a reward tend to be non-productive and
  will just wind them up and out of control
• Try to tailor the awards order to keep them
  interested. Try not to do two not-so-fun Activity
  Badges in a row.

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How do Control Webelos?

• Wear the Uniform. The uniform commands respect.
  Change your own attitude when wearing the
  uniform. The Webelos will respond to you
  differently. They might even listen better.
• Webelos are changing. Their behavoir changes
  markedly from the first year to the second.
  Expect more for the second year.

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• Sometimes you just cant control them.
• Let them know that things are not going well and
  that they will not be able to play later.
• Dont be afraid to just stop everything, sit them
  down in a different location, talk about the
  behavior with the group and what you expect.
• Expect good behavior and you will get it. Never
  back down from your standards.
• For many, this will the first time away from
  their parents while not in a school setting. Be
  sure to maintain two deep leadership at all
  times. Webelos will naturally test your resolve.

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How Do You Advance Webelos?

• Webelos are organized into patrols vice dens.
  They will be learning about and transitioning to
  Boy Scouting.
• The Webelos curriculum is spread over two years.
• Buy and use an Advancement chart. Put it in a
  conspicuous place where it can been seen by the
  Webelos and their parents.

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• The curriculum contains Activities and Activity
  Badges.
• Grouped into 5 groups. Physical, Mental,
  Community, Technology, and Outdoors.
• Religious Duty must be earned prior to the
  Webelos badge.
• Try to get the Webelos badge done for the Blue
  and Gold banquet during the first year.
• Second year activities require working with a
  Scout Troop
• Not all activity bages are required.

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• A good 20 to 30 of the Activity Badge
  requirements are already being done in school.
  Try to keep up with the signoffs.
• National Schedule for progress. The activity
  badge of the month can be found in the Program
  Helps. The purpose is to keep all Webelos in
  sync should they move to a different area.
• Some activities require the help of a local Boy
  Scout troop. Plan a head.
• Your second year will be short! Plan to crossover
  in March at the latest.
• Pick a goal for Activity Badges for the year and
  let the Webelos pick some activities for the end
  of the year.
• Missed attendance is problematic and can affect
  advancement.

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Resources

• Program Helps contains many ideas and games
• Webelos Den Leader guide see Ernie
• Parents are the most important resource. Know
  their interests and capabilities and ask them to
  help.
• Assign parents to teach Activity Badges at the
  beginning of the year. This will give them plenty
  of time to prepare.

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• Wood working projects require skill, tools, and a
  place. Local contractors are usually more than
  willing to provide all three. Home Depot and
  Lowes may also have a program already in place.
• The PTC Scout Shop, PTC personnel are all great
  resources. Ask your Cubmaster as well.
• The internet is great
• www.macscouter.com
• www.usscouts.org
• Many links from these two sites.

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Activity Ideas

• Base your activities off of the requirements in
  the Webelos book.
• Attend your district Roudtable.
• There are many activities listed in websites on
  the internet.
• Webelos Den Leader Book

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Cross Over

• Each Webelo must visit and pick the Troop that
  they wish to attend well in advance of the
  crossover.
• The Blue and Gold banquet is a good crossover
  target. You will need to coordinate it with the
  Adult Committee.
• Crossover may be done coincidently with the
  presentation of the Arrow of Light Award.
• The selected troop may have a ceremony. Each will
  be different if two or more troops are present.
• Present the AOL before the crossover. At the
  completion of the crossover they are no longer
  Webelos. The Troop may elect to take them to a
  separate room or even to the troop meeting.
• Buy or make an AOL plaque to mount a career
  arrow.
• Scoutarrows.com
• Acornawards.com
• Prevents them from being used as arrows.

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• You should plan to crossover your Webelos as
  early as possible
• Gives them more time as a Boy Scout.
• Extra time allows the boys to become accustomized
  before the first camp out.
• Scouts who make First Class within a year are
  much more apt to earn the rank of Eagle.