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This is post number four in this four part series on the patrol method
1. The Character School, 2. The Adult Role, 3. Objections,
The first post in this series about the patrol method paints a picture of the patrol as the central unit of Scouting, next we discussed the adult role followed by discussing the usual objections that arise when we put the patrol method into practice.
Trying to work with patrols as though it were 1910 instead of 2013 is like sending a telegram in the age of email. We have to tweak our application of the patrol method because things have changed over the last century.
A century ago patrols were the neighborhood gang, the Scouts could walk to each other’s homes; organized youth sports leagues, youth clubs, and other activities were not all that common. Today Scouts are more mobile so the neighborhood gang is reasonably rare, and they have a much bigger menu of organized activities to choose from.
From observing hundreds of troops over the years it’s clear that most of us have become more troop-oriented and the patrol method is now more of an administrative arrangement for managing a troop. Training seems to reinforce the idea that the troop is the central organization and organizational charts put the adults at the top and the scouts at the bottom sending a pretty clear signal that the Scoutmaster and his assistants are in charge of things and they simply delegate their responsibilities to the Scouts.
Here are five practical ideas that can help shape a 21st century approach to the patrol method
1. Redraw the Chart
Charts can do just so much and this chart is trying to do more than I should reasonably expect, it’s meant to graphically represent that the only reason for a troop to exist is to serve patrols, and patrols serve Scouts, and all the resources are aimed at them. The patrol leader’s council exists to serve the patrol leaders, the patrol leader’s council support network exists only to serve the patrol leader’s council, and by extension, the Scouts themselves. The various positions of responsibility exist to form another support network for the patrol leader’s council.
2. Scouts form their own patrols and choose their own leaders
If a Scout isn’t in a patrol with his friends he is not going to observe the structure of the patrol, he’ll gravitate to his friends anyway. Then patrol leaders are chasing Scouts out of the ‘wrong’ patrol or searching for their lost sheep all the time. Uniform, balanced, patrols make sense from an adult point of view but what we want is a patrol that best serves Scouts.
Patrol leader elections can happen any time the patrol decides. Tenure towards a position of responsibility in rank requirements have driven the interval of leadership elections in most troops, but that’s putting the cart before the horse.
Most of us are going to feel a little queasy when we start thinking of patrols as more fluid than fixed. I think if we take a good look at the way our ‘fixed’ patrols function we’d have to admit they are more fluid in practice than we think. The patrol member whose best friend is in another patrol wanders over to that patrol, when less than four or five patrol members show up for a camping trip or meeting they get folded into another patrol. If we stopped interfering with the Scout’s choices we may find we’ve sacrificed our ideal picture for one that actually achieves the goals of Scouting.
3. Be patrol-centric.
Several years ago our patrol leader’s council started scheduling patrol meetings in lieu of troop meetings at least once a month. There’s no troop meeting that night, only patrol meetings planned and presented by patrol leaders. They are held at the same time and place as troop meetings. We have found that this is a way to allow patrols to function independently without adding any additional logistical hurdles of patrol leaders finding another place or time to meet.
When camping patrols work independently in their own campsite with no adults around. The adults are close enough to observe yet far enough away that they can’t easily interfere. Every outing and event is based on the interest of patrols working together rather than a crowd of Scouts functioning as a troop. Patrols camp together, cook and eat together, hike together and troop assemblies are minimal.
4. Keep your distance.
Youth leaders will not lead much if an adult is in the area. You have more influence on this than you think. Of course you lead and present and organize better than a Scout but when you do you’ve taken the opportunity away from them. What does this look like? You are far enough away to observe but not close enough to be heard unless you raise your voice.
This makes most of us very uncomfortable; how will Scouts know what to do, what if they behave poorly or get hurt? Aren’t I supposed to be teaching them things and telling them what to do? To our minds they are either awfully young to have that kind of responsibility, or just old enough to make real trouble if we don’t keep an eye on them. I can’t tell you, step by step, how you are going to do this. I can tell you it is possible and if you make it your goal you’ll get there and won’t feel so uncomfortable when you do.
5. Re-think, re-tool and re-build
I had to kill some of my sacred cows because they were getting in the way of actually reaching and benefiting Scouts. Nice neat organizational administration, controlling the variables, and focusing on the indicators rather than the drivers were getting the job done, but it wasn’t fully achieving the goal of forming a resilient, skilled responsible character in my Scouts.
When I accepted that the patrol method drives advancement, membership and attendance I started focusing more on patrols. When I started focusing on patrols I found myself focusing more and more on Scouts instead of the metrics of what they do. I also began to understand the sense behind all the policies and procedures we are trusted to follow.
Patrols are not intended to break a troop up into more manageable segments to make the Scoutmaster’s job easier. Patrols are the central unit of Scouting and troops are just containers for patrols. Patrols are the character school where Scouts lead, instruct and guide each other, where the real work happens.
The key is the patrol;
The Patrol is the unit of Scouting always, whether for work or for play, for discipline or for duty.
Baden-Powell
This is post number four in this four part series on the patrol method
1. The Character School, 2. The Adult Role, 3. Objections
“he is moved to our Senior Patrol”. I’m almost afraid to ask what this really means, though I’m pretty sure I know. Scouts are only “moved” when the SPL appoints someone. Otherwise, they organize themselves. However they do it. Sometimes neatly, sometimes with a bit of ruckus. Either way, it’s theirs to do.
If the “moving” is being done by the adult leaders then not good.
“positions of leadership that they maintain across elections, including ASPL”. No, those positions are appointed by the SPL as he deems fit. A “Senior Patrol” is fairly common but IS NOT how all Troops do it. Actually a lot of Troops have all of the Scouts in Patrols except for the SPL. The Patrols function normally and organize themselves as they see fit.
Any time a SM says “this is how all Troops do it” you must instantly stop listening to him because he obviously doesn’t know what he is talking about. Troops are organized in so many ways it would make your head swim. Some good. Some bad.
Dave
“We ha e had the same patrols for almost 10 years with boys cycling thru.” That sounds almost ideal to me. The older Scouts helping the younger Scouts as they come through the Patrols. The Patrols have some established traditions and the new Scouts join in an existing group prepared to help them learn and grow.
There is obviously nothing wroing with re-organizing when Patrols get down to just 2 Scouts or something like that. Something has to give.
When Patrols are well established I think that it’s easier to give prominence to the Patrol and the Patrol Leader. It is difficult to emphasis Patrols and Patrol Method when Patrols are constantly in flux. That’s one reason why we did not usually combine Patrols when we had absences. A Patrol can go camping with just 2 or 3 members. That’s ok.
It’s usually an adult who first suggests combining Patrols. “Oh, only 7 guys going from these two Patrols, well then let’s combine them.” Nope. YMMV.
thank you for this series. I just became scoutmaster of a, troop of 40 that has a 27 year history. The model for the troop is very set. We ha e had the same patrols for almost 10 years with boys cycling thru. They even had a mom who was a seamstress sew very nice patrol flags.
Any suggestions for HOW to get the boys to break up into patrols with the least fuss?
Thanks Dave!
There’s no fuss, talk with your patrol leader’s council – ask them how they think this should happen, what’s important about having patrols and get them thinking. They’ll have some good ideas and figure things out with a little guidance.
I am interested in this and may be implementing some of these ideas in my troop.
Here’s my question: What do you do with Weblos crossovers? Do you keep them together in a new scout patrol for awhile or let them go to whatever patrol they feel like from day 1?
I don’t do anything with them, it’s up to the patrol leader’s council. They may ask my advice, but sometimes not. I don’t have anything to do with who goes in what patrol, the size or number of patrols, who is qualified to be elected as patrol leader, when or how often or exactly how elections for patrol leader happen, – these are all Scout decisions.
Last year I had enough scouts to form two patrols. I used Clarke’s chart to place the scouts in the patrols. In the first patrol the scouts chose the guy who was the natural leader, and that patrol was the strongest. In the second patrol there seemed to be a lively, almost confrontational debate going on. I stuck my head in from time to time, but did not see all the action. The older boys were contending for the PL spot. They had several votes, but could not choose a clear winner. When they came out of the patrol meeting, they had chosen the newest guy, a scout who had only been camping with the troop once, and did not really know the ropes yet. I asked why the patrol chose him, and the guys told me that in the end everyone was exhausted from arguing and just wanted it to be over, and this boy piped up in the end and said he would do it. I let the decision of the group stand, and this new boy took the job. He had a lot to learn, and he learned a lot. It was the best lesson in citizenship for these guys. I told them that if it took that much effort to select a patrol leader from a patrol of six, just think of how much effort it is to select a president from a country of 300 million.
Interesting!
Joe G.
No.
Ok, this could get a little bit rough. Sorry, but here goes…
That’s sort of like saying every Eagle should be SPL. Right! Cmon guys, you know you’ve thought about it. Maybe you have even tried to manipulate it and make it happen.
Sorry, bad idea. The program defines how these things happen. Once again, repeat after me, The Program Defines How These Things Happen!
Point – It’s only important for a Scout to be a Patrol Leader if he is elected Patrol Leader by the members of his Patrol. If there is any defining point of Scouting organization, this is it. Pay close attention and listen. Listen carefully. This. Is. It. This cannot be over emphasized.
“Sometimes a person (scout) needs to be put into that position, at least for the experience.” I am having a problem even saying how wrong this is. This is exactly what happens when adults take over and create something that is NOT Scouting. Go to training. Study the Scouting materials and then implement the program. Do not invent the “Clarke” or “Larry” program. Implement the Scouting program.
To be a Scoutmaster you MUST believe that the Scouts in a Patrol ALWAYS know better, who the best person for Patrol Leader is, than YOU DO! Period. NO EXCEPTIONS. They always know better. If you don’t believe that and you know better, then don’t be a Scoutmaster.
Here is the bottom line: believe and you will be glad you did!
The re-draw of the organization chart, putting the Scouts and their patrols at the top, and the adults way at the bottom, is similar to the concept I’ve been using for the last couple years when explaining troop organization to new parents. I did a graphical chart last fall for one of our Webelos parent meetings and it was well received. I think it makes clearer the relationship between the various levels of youth leadership and graphically shows the layers of support.
Thank you for a very useful series of articles. It’s one of the best I’ve read on making sense of the patrol method.
2. Scouts form their own patrols and choose their own leaders
I think it is important for every scout to be a patrol leader at least once. Sometimes a person (scout) needs to be put into that position, at least for the experience. Scouts may not know there leadership potential until it is demanded. How would a scout get the experience if he was never elected? At least everyone can see there true potential if they try!
If I read you right you are suggesting that we should assure every Scout get’s a chance to try out the patrol leader position. I think that is right in theory but I certainly wouldn’t recommend adults interfering with the election of patrol leaders to make this happen. We aren’t aimed at making one type of leader. Patrol leaders are directive, decision-making leaders- not every Scout is interested in or skilled in that sort of leadership. See this on four kinds of leadership
I am a new Parent whose son has just been elected to be Patrol Leader, and has started attending Patrol Leader Councils. Since then I have been educating myself on the Patrol Method since I noticed that our Patrol Leader Councils are poorly attended. Our troop consists of 46 boys, whenever a boy becomes 1st Class he becomes eligible to run for Senior Patrol Leader. If he is elected SPL, he is moved to our Senior Patrol, consisting of 5 older boys. All the boys in our Senior Patrol have positions of leadership that they maintain across elections, including ASPL. After reading your articles I asked our Scout Master about this, and told him that this did not seem right. He answered adamantly that this is how all Troops do it, and that these boys need these positions for rank advancement, and if they did not have these positions they would quit. Is this really common?