The Patrol Method

The Patrol Method
A Presentation for Troop Leaders and
Parents
adapted from Bill Nelson's presentation
5/28/2011
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What We Will Cover
What the Patrol Method is
●What a Patrol is and how it relates to a troop
●What a boy run troop is
●How to train your Scouts in leadership
●The pitfalls and solutions of boy run
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The Methods of Boy Scouting
1.The Ideals
2.The Patrol Method
3.The Outdoors
4.Advancement
5.Association with Adults
6.Personal Growth
7.Leadership Development
8.The Uniform
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How Important is the Patrol
Method?
It is necessary to point out at the start
that the Patrol System is not one
method in which Scouting for boys
can be carried out, but that it is the
only method.
-Roland Philipps, Commissioner for East
London, The Patrol System, 1914
The Patrol System by Roland Philipps,
1914
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Then and Now
William “Green Bar” Bill Hillcourt
introduced the Patrol Method
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The Patrol Method makes for stronger
troops
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The Scouts like it and they stay.
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What is the Patrol Method?
What do you think the Patrol Method is?
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Take Any 30 Boys
TAKE any thirty boys, turn them loose in a closed street, a
playground, or in a sports field-and you know what happens?
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What is a Patrol?
The patrol method is natural to an adolescent boy.
Working definition:
A patrol is that small group of boys and friends under their
own leadership who plan and carry out troop and patrol
meetings and activities.
It is the basic organizational unit of a Scout troop.
- Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 4, The BoyLed Patrol
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What is the Patrol Method?
Patrols and their boy leaders run the program in
their Patrols and the Troop.
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The adults stand aside and let the Scouts do it all.
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The Scoutmaster is leadership trainer, mentor,
safety officer, and guide.
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The Aims of the Patrol Method
The primary aim of the Patrol Method is to teach
leadership.
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Scouts learn leadership by leading.
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The Scoutmaster provides them with the tools and
encouragement to do their jobs.
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Patrol Method Video
Patrol_Method_Filmstrip.wmv
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Aspects of a Patrol
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Friends and Responsibility
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Small Size - Up to 8 Boys
- Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 4, The Boy-Led Patrol
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Patrols Teach Youth Leadership
Organizing patrols
●Using duty rosters
●Planning menus and figuring food costs
●Encouraging advancement
●Guiding a patrol's involvement in problem solving
●Teaching outdoor skills
●Helping to ensure patrol safety during outings
●Handling patrol finances
●Helping other Scouts make the most of their own
leadership opportunities
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Setting Up and Maintaining Patrols
There are three kinds of patrols:
New-Scout patrols (for youth just joining the troop)
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Regular patrols (usually for boys who have earned at
least the First Class rank)
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Venture patrols (made up of older Scouts)
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- The Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 4, “The Boy-Led Patrol”
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Patrol Leaders
Each patrol in a troop elects a patrol leader. (usually every
6 months)
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The patrol leader takes the leading role in planning and
conducting patrol meetings and activities, and represents
the patrol at meetings of the patrol leaders' council.
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Each patrol leader can appoint an assistant patrol leader to
serve with him.
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- Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 4 – The Boy Led Patrol
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Patrol Meetings
Can be:
●During Troop Meeting
●On Campouts
●Separate from Troop
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PATROL ACTIVITIES
Types of Patrol Activities
Hikes
●Campouts
●Service Projects
●Climbing gyms
●etc
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Maintaining Patrols
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Every patrol must be given responsibility
Patrols must compete – responsibility of SPL and
troop PLC to conduct inter-patrol competitions
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Keep patrols active
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The Senior Patrol Leader
The SPL is in charge of all Troop Meetings and Troop
Activities
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SPL does not belong to a patrol
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The SPL appoints assistants
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The SPL and the Patrol Leaders (together called the PLC)
plan all troop calendars, troop activities and troop meetings.
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The Senior Patrol Leader
SPL reports to the Scoutmaster
●Patrol Leaders report to the SPL
●SPL leads through the Patrol Leaders, not
around them.
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The SPL and Scoutmaster Team
The senior patrol leader is the troop member with whom the
Scoutmaster works most directly.
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Senior Patrol Leader
Runs all troop meetings, events, and activities.
●Runs the Patrol Leaders' Council (PLC) meetings.
●Appoints other troop junior leaders with advice
and counsel of Scoutmaster.
●Assigns tasks to junior leaders.
●Chairs the Patrol Leaders' Council (PLC).
●Assists the Scoutmaster with junior leader
training.
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The Patrol Leaders’ Council
The patrol leaders' council is the
primary leadership body of the
troop.
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Scoutmaster Goal
Scoutmaster’s Ultimate Goal:
You can sit and placidly watch
as your Scouts execute their
planned troop meeting
You probably won’t get there overnight….
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A Scoutmaster Comments
“That is all right, all you have been saying about The
Patrol Method. But I tried it in my Troop, and it just
doesn’t work!”
“Take last week, for instance. We had our program all
outlined, but the boys fell down on it. The Patrol
Leaders had forgotten to prepare their Scouts,
equipment was missing, and our game leader didn’t
show up. I simply had to take over the meeting myself in
order to keep it from being a general mix-up!”
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Getting to Our Goal
So let’s start talking about how we get to our goal
1st off Scoutmaster MUST get trained
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TRAINING YOUTH LEADERS
SM's job to train all junior
leaders ASAP after the Scout is
elected or appointed
- Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 7 Training Youth Leaders
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Train the SPL First
Important: Train him first, he should be your cotrainer in teaching the other troop leaders. If you
do all the training the Scouts will assume you
trump the SPL and it will undermine his leadership.
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- Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 7, Training Youth Leaders
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Troop Leadership Training
(TLT)
Can be found in Ch 7 SM Handbook
●A powerpoint presentation to go along with TLT is
available: http://scouting.org/training/adult
●Teach each new youth leadership “class” right after
election
●SPL and SM teach as a team
●3 hours long or 3 x 1 hour modules
●Go over PL handbook with each new PL – how to use it &
what’s in it
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BSA Youth Leadership Training
National Youth Leadership Training
(NYLT)
6 day course taught by experienced youth to youth
●National curriculum – offered by Council
●Leadership training
●Team Building
●Conflict resolution
●Communication skills
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BSA Youth Leadership Training
NAYLE – National Advanced Youth
Leadership Experience
1. After NYLT – at Philmont
2. Use leadership skills to solve challenging outdoor
scenarios
3. Geocache
4. Mountain Rescue – First Aid
5. Conservation
6. Servant Leadership Training
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Green Bar (PLC) Campouts
Take the PLC on campouts and other special activities
about once a quarter
Reward – Review – Rededicate
Use the opportunity to brainstorm, set calendar dates,
discuss troop issues and set goals
Use the opportunity to teach or review skills that they
will be teaching the other Scouts over the next few
months
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Ongoing Mentoring
By listening well and by paying attention to other clues provided
by Scouts, a Scoutmaster can get a sense of the style of
leadership he needs in a given situation for a boy, for a patrol, and
for a troop.
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Guide
Demonstrate
Explain
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Explain (DIRECTING)
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Explain (DIRECTING)
There may be times that for safety sake, the SM needs to direct even
the most boy led of troops.
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Example Tools for Explain (DIRECTING)
Detailed agenda - see Troop Program Features for sample agendas
●Pre-meeting or activity Meeting
●Post-meeting meeting (Start, Stop, Continue)
●Patrol Duty Roster – (see SM Handbook)
●Troop and Patrol Rosters
●More tools in the Scoutmaster Handbook and Patrol Leader’s Handbook
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Demonstrate (Coaching)
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Demonstrate (Coaching)
Here's one way coaching works
A Scoutmaster shows a Jr. Leader how to do a skill, then
the Scout demonstrates his growing mastery of the skill by
demonstrating it to the Scoutmaster
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The Scoutmaster can provide feedback that encourages
learning, ensures that the Scout understands the skill, and
helps him understand why some things are done a certain
way. In simple terms, coaching can often be a form of
"show and do." (see EDGE teaching method)
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- Scoutmaster Handbook, Ch 7, Teaching Youth Leaders
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Guide (Supporting)
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Enable (Empower)
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Troop Leadership Strength Changes
over time
Note that depending on the experience of the boys
in the patrols, the stage of leadership will be
different and this will change over time. Your job is
to train them and let them lead as much as
possible.
Experienced
Scouts Leave
New Boys
Come
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Troop Functions Through Patrols
Make the Patrol the unit ALWAYS, in and out,
through thick and thin, for better and worse in
victory and defeat, in games and on hikes, and in
camp.
“Green Bar” Bill Hillcourt, Handbook for Scoutmasters, 1936
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Troop Functions Through Patrols
Make sure there are meaningful Patrol meetings
occurring during the troop meetings and
encourage Patrol meetings outside troop meetings.
●Encourage Patrol activities outside of Troop
activities and reward such behavior.
●Encourage inter-patrol competitions
●Build patrol spirit
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SM Responsibility
“Train 'em, trust 'em, and let 'em lead!”
- “Green Bar” Bill Hillcourt, Handbook for Scoutmasters,
1936
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Building Patrol Spirit – Job of SPL
and SM
Strive to build Patrol Spirit. Each member of
each patrol should be proud that they are part of
that patrol.
With Patrol Spirit a Patrol becomes strong and
permanent. Without it a Patrol is just a bunch of
boys that may fall apart at any minute.
When Patrols fall apart, the troop is in danger
of falling apart.
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Patrol Spirit – “We’re the Best!”
How It Grows
Patrol spirit doesn't spring up like a
mushroom overnight.
It can't be made to order.
But it can be developed.
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National Honor Patrol Award
This award is given to patrols whose members make an extra effort to
have the best patrol possible over a three month period
Requirements can be found: Scoutmaster Handbook, Chapter 4, The BoyLed Patrol
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Patrol and Troop Elections
PL and SPL elections every 6 months
●No term limits
●Enough time to learn and exercise
roles
●Other positions are appointed
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Typical Boy Led Troop Meeting
Problems and Solutions
Problems
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Troop Meetings are boring
●Troop Meetings are chaotic
●Low attendance at troop meetings
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Typical Boy Led Troop Meeting
Problems and Solutions
Solutions
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Full agenda for every meeting
●SPL follows up on any outstanding agenda items
●SPL brings the agenda to every meeting and follows it
●Pre-meeting meetings with SPL to confirm agenda
●Post meeting meetings with SPL and Patrol Leaders to
review what happened at the meeting
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- Scoutmaster Handbook, Ch 5 Troop Meetings
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Some Signs of an Adult Run Troop
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All scouts are dressed perfectly
Meeting agenda is complete and posted weeks in
advance of troop meetings
Adults making lots of announcements
Adults stand with scouts or in front of scouts during
activities.
Troop focuses on advancement
Troop focuses on outings
Troop announcements are posted well in advance on
troop website
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Watch for These Signs of Adult
Run
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Troop Spirit – We’re the Best!
Like Patrol Spirit, troop spirit
is the glue that holds the
troop together.
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How to Make the Patrol Method
Work
"Train 'em, trust 'em,
and let 'em lead!”
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Where to Get More Information
The Scoutmaster’s Handbook (Ch 7)
●Senior Patrol Leader’s Handbook
●Patrol Leader’s Handbook
●Troop Leader Training (SM Handbook Ch 7)
●Scoutmaster Specific Training
●Roundtables
●University of Scouting
●A Patrol Method Checklist and other guides
can be found in the Patrol Method Section at:
www.bsatroop14.com/district
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QUESTIONS?
This presentation can be found in the
Patrol Method section at www.
bsatroop14.com/district
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